I Want Everything
by Vernie
Summary: Chad's agent insists he start dating Sonny Munroe for publicity, unbeknownst to Sonny. What will happen when Chad's feelings become real? And how will Sonny react when the truth finally comes out? Twist of Lime.
1. Publicity

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Publicity"**

It had been a long, demanding week for Chad Dylan Cooper. He'd been working hard filming a very intense, very dramatic episode of _Mackenzie Falls_ while also trying to fit in time to do promos for the show. On top of that, he was also shooting a commercial for a line of sunglasses he had been endorsing - Chades, as they were called. He'd even come up with the name himself. But at the end of the week, all that hard work had paid off because he was more than satisfied with his career accomplishments.

His feeling of satisfaction, however, would come to an end that day when he sat down for a meeting with his agent. Andy, as his agent insisted he call him, had called an emergency meeting that day in Chad's dressing room. Such meetings were not uncommon; therefore, Chad never really worried too much what they were about. It usually concerned something minor, such as his bad use of grammar in his Flitter posts. Chad knew he was supposed to run all posts by his editor before making them public, but sometimes there just wasn't enough hours in the day in between massages and total body cleanses.

The young actor knew that if anything, the meeting was concerning a role he had auditioned for in a new romantic comedy. The part was as good as his, no doubt. He had the good looks, the charm, and of course his incredible acting talent. Now that he was getting older, Chad's choice of rolls was expanding. He knew that _Mackenzie Falls _would not last forever and it was his dream to become the next big-name movie star. The whole idea wasn't that far of a stretch either.

Chad's agent, Andrew Holloway, was a man in his late thirties. He had been in the business for almost 18 years now and had a ruthless demeanor, putting it quite nicely. He had already helped Chad secure his role at _Mackenzie Falls_ as well as several supporting roles in various teen movies. Andy had done no favors putting things to Chad lightly; he was a tell-it-like-it-is type of guy and that's what had made him so good at his job. Working with Andy, Chad had found that sometimes the things that were the hardest for him to hear were just what he needed to further his career. He had learned not to question the older man's logic.

"Chad," Andy said with a forced smile, shaking Chad's hand and sitting down across from him in an arm chair. "I heard from the casting director today. I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Chad frowned. "You're kidding? I thought the part was as good as mine!"

Andy nodded. "So did I. And it could've been. The only problem the director had with casting you as the lead roll, however, was your public image."

"Are we back at the whole puppy-shoving incident?" Chad asked with a frown. "The dog's over it, why isn't everyone else?"

"That's not it," Andy replied, shaking his head. "The problem is your romantic life, Chad. The main character of this movie is a true romantic. Nobody's going to want to see some playboy who's never been in a real relationship in a role like this."

"What do you mean?" Chad demanded, his voice getting high. "I've had plenty of girlfriends," he defended himself.

"That's the problem Chad. You drift from girl to girl. You broke up with the Doublemint twins that you were dating _at the same time _after, what, three days? Then there was your five day fling with Gomez. And don't forget about how you made out with Tisdale at the VMA's and then never bothered to call her."

"Uh, I told you I didn't know they were twins," Chad retorted. "I was allergic to Gomez's dogs, and I lost Tisdale's phone number. Why do I always come out looking like the bad guy?"

Andy sighed. "Enough excuses Chad. Do you want to be taken seriously? Do you really want these movie deals?" He asked his young client.

Chad quickly nodded.

"Then you need to find yourself a girlfriend and make it stick. I can't emphasize that enough. Do whatever it takes to keep her from dumping you, especially if that means _not being you_."

"Ahem," Chad cleared his throat. "Excuse me but it's usually the other way around."

"Mmm hmm. Hudgens might disagree."

"The only reason she dumped me was because I told her I couldn't promise our relationship would remain exclusive while I was working on my last movie in Paris. The City of Love, Andy. What was I supposed to do?"

Andy sighed again. The job as Chad Dylan Cooper's agent most certainly did not pay well enough. "That's another thing Chad. You can only date one girl at a time. The press always finds out. _The girls always find out_. So find one girl, ask her out, and keep it going. It doesn't even have to be real Chad. Just find someone who will make you look good."

Chad nodded. "Alright, I can do this. I'll just get Penelope to fake date me for awhile. No biggie."

Andy shook his head. "No, you can't date a girl from your own show. It's too obvious. Besides, if your viewers hate Mackenzie with Penelope, then they won't like the idea of you dating her in real life."

Chad rolled his eyes. "Then who am I _supposed _to date?"

Andy leaned back in the armchair, resting his right ankle on his left knee. "Opposites attract. Why not date someone from your rival show?"

"What, you mean a _Random_?" Chad asked in disgust.

"Precisely."

Chad thought for a moment. "Let's see. Tawni's out because she's too, well, Tawni. I don't want to go down that road again. Zora's twelve. Nico and Grady have each other. Wait…no. You can't mean?" His eyes widened at the thought of it.

"Yes, Sonny Munroe. Your fans already loved your work together on The Chad Dylan Cooper Story."

Chad quickly shook his head. "But we'd just fight all the time and we're not even friends. There is no way in this world Sonny would date me. She's said so herself. Multiple times!"

"You're Chad Dylan Cooper, if you can't charm her then you'll just trick her."

"I don't know. That seems pretty low even for me," Chad admitted.

Andy sat forward, resting his elbows on his lap. "Listen, it will be good publicity for you both. It'll help _So Random's _ratings, and help you get the movie deals. It's a win/win situation. You'd be doing this girl a favor."

Chad stared at his lap in thought for a moment. "I mean, she's cute and everything. I guess being her fake boyfriend won't be that horrible. I might even get to kiss her again. And on the lips this time."

Andy smiled. "Then it's settled. You'll ask her to the _Tridark _premiere, get lots of red carpet publicity, then date her for a few months."

Chad paused. "Wait? A few months?"

"At least three. After that, I could care less what you do with the girl. There will be a casting call at the end of the spring for the next Nicholas Sparks novel-based movie. A role in this movie would really give your movie career a jump start."

Chad stood up, extending his hand to Andy. "Fine."

Andy nodded, shaking the boys hand and then leaving the room. Meanwhile, for some reason, Chad had a plaguing feeling that this was all going to blow up in his face.

_To be continued…_


	2. Premiere

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Premiere"**

It wasn't until three days later that Chad had finally gotten up the courage to heed Andy's advice. He had never been this nervous about asking a girl out on a date in his entire life. Usually Chad had girl's throwing themselves at him - the hardest part of asking a girl out was usually narrowing it down to which one's fantasies to fulfill. But Sonny Munroe was different. She didn't fall over herself trying to please or impress him. She wasn't so star struck that she could ignore all of Chad's many faults. The task of getting her to agree on an evening with him would be no easy feat.

Chad had waited by Sonny's dressing room that day for her to return from rehearsals for what seemed like an eternity. The young actor had worded exactly in his head what he would say to her when he saw her. He needed to be encouraging enough that she would say yes, but not so sickeningly sweet that he would damage his own ego in the process. Most importantly, he had to look at the big picture: His mission was to do whatever it took to get this movie deal.

Sonny soon arrived with Tawni Hart next to her, the two suddenly putting their conversation to a halt when they saw the rival actor leaning against their dressing room door.

Sonny frowned. "Chad? What are you doing here?"

Her reaction was not unexpected, and luckily Chad had prepared for it.

"I need a favor."

Sonny rolled her eyes, she and Tawni brushing past him and entering their dressing room with Chad following close behind and shutting the door behind him.

"What is it Chad?" Sonny asked as she removed the long, dark wig that was part of her costume and sitting it on her vanity table. She sat down in the chair next to it, staring at herself in the mirror as she fixed her hair with a brush.

"I need a date to the _Tridark _premiere."

Putting down her brush, Sonny quickly spun around in her chair. "Chad, there is no way I would be so cruel to one of my friends as to set them up with you."

"I don't need you to play matchmaker, Munroe."

"Then what _do _you need?"

Chad let out a small sigh. _Here goes nothing_, he thought. "I thought…maybe you'd wanna go with me." He stumbled over his words uncomfortably.

He now also had Tawni's full attention as well, who had stopped mid-lip at applying her signature lip gloss. "Are you asking Sonny out on a date?" she asked, snickering in disbelief.

"Tawni, don't you have furniture to bedazzle or something?" Chad asked with a glare.

Tawni rolled her eyes at him, exiting the room with a huff.

"So what do you say, Munroe?" Chad asked her after Tawni had slammed the door behind herself.

Sonny still stared at him, confused. "I don't know if it's such a great idea Chad. I mean, don't we sort of…_hate each other_?"

"Speak for yourself," he replied, sticking his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. "I've always liked you."

"Really?" she asked dryly.

Chad sat down across from the girl. "I asked you to hang out after the whole doghouse-building thing and you never agreed. Is it so hard to believe I'd wanna do something nice for you and take you out for the evening?"

"Yes," Sonny replied, still frowning.

"Then lets put our differences aside. You've always been an advocate for that. Besides, I know you love _Tridark. _And you'll get to meek Jackson Tyler," he added in a singy-song voice.

Sonny bit her lip. "But…it's not a date. We're just going as friends right?"

"Sure, whatever," Chad replied.

A smile finally crept onto her face. "Okay then."

"My limo will pick you up at eight."

Chad left her dressing room with a grin. Step one, accomplished.

**X x  
><strong>

"Ugh, what am I supposed to wear to this thing?" Sonny asked, digging through her bedroom closet as her mother stood behind her.

"I don't understand, Sonny. Why did this boy ask you out to an event that was the same night? Doesn't he have any knowledge of manners at all?"

Sonny pulled a dress from the back of her closet and held it up to herself as she looked into the full-length mirror which sat in the corner of her room. "No. No he doesn't."

"And you agreed to go with him because…?"

Sonny sighed. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure."

Connie Munroe scrunched her nose in disapproval. "I'm not sure how I feel about you seeing this boy. I've read things about him in the tabloids. Next thing you know he'll be making out with you at the VMA's and never returning your call."

"Oh Mother, please. The tabloids come up with all sorts of goofy lies. That's how they make their money." Sonny commented, gazing at the strapless lilac dress she held up to herself in the mirror. "Now what do you think of this one?"

"You'll look beautiful in it," Connie told her daughter, taking a seat on her bed. "Now how do I know I can trust him with you?"

Sonny rolled her eyes. "Chad might be a heartless jerk at times, but he's really pulled through when I've needed him. Besides, I can tell when he's up to something."

Connie let out a little sigh. "Then I suppose I trust your judgment Sonny."

Sonny smiled. "Good. Now help me do my hair?"

**X x  
><strong>

It was exactly 8:16 when Chad knocked on Sonny's apartment door. Sonny assumed he would be late - he always was. What surprised her was the fact that he was only fifteen minutes late, which must've been a record for the boy.

Sonny checked her hair in the mirror quickly before answering the door.

"Hey Sonny," Chad said, decked out in a dark blue suit, black tie, and a pair of dark sunglasses. "You look great," he added.

Sonny looked at him skeptically. "How can you tell? You're wearing shades at night."

"Uh, they're Chades - the line of UV protective eyewear designed by Chad Dylan Cooper," he retorted. "And sunglasses at night are in now."

"Whatever," Sonny replied, grabbing her handbag. "I'm just glad you're not driving."

**X x  
><strong>

"This is so exciting!" Sonny exclaimed as they arrived at the premiere, their limo pulling up to the red carpet. "Oh my gosh, was that Brad Pitt?"

"Probably," Chad replied nonchalantly, checking a text on his phone. "Oh you newbies are always so cute."

The door of the limo soon opened and Chad stepped out as a crowd of young girls screamed his name. He waved at the mob of fans and flashing cameras before leaning over to help Sonny out of the limo as well, taking her arm in his own as the two walked down the red carpet together.

"Just stay on my holding hand side," he whispered in her ear as the two paused to have their photo taken together.

Sonny had to admit his sudden act of affection towards her was bizarre, but assumed it was merely for the ultimate photogenic quality of the pictures. A photo of them arm-in-arm would undoubtedly look better in the magazines than a one of them walking a good arm's length away with no physical contact.

Chad and Sonny stopped to talk to various reporters, having their photo taken and answering the question of the night "Who are you wearing?"

"Giorgio Armani and Chades, my own line of sunglasses now available at fine department stores everywhere," Chad quickly said, shooting one of his signature "points" at the camera. Judging by Chad's quick, flawless answer, Sonny had decided he had probably rehearsed his response in front of the mirror earlier that day.

"And Miss Munroe, you look quite stunning tonight," the reporter commented. "Who are you wearing?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," Sonny answered, feeling a little flustered. "I just threw this on. Chad, maybe you could check the tag for me? I'd like to give the designer their due credit," she asked, turning her back to him and holding her wavy, dark hair up and out of the way from the top of her dress.

Chad removed his sunglasses, folding them and placing them in the pocket of his jacket. He felt his pulse quicken as he fingers gently grazed the delicate skin of Sonny's back when he folded out the tag to read the label. He cleared his throat. "The GAP."

The reporter paused slightly before speaking again, then forced a smile. "A frugal fashionita, very impressive."

Sonny's cheeks turned a dark shade of crimson as she heard several of the stars behind her snicker softly. Seeing how uncomfortable she was feeling, Chad quickly placed his hand on her back and led her into the theatre, ignoring the rest of the reporters that called his name along the way.

**X x  
><strong>

Chad was surprised when Sonny had ended up holding his arm most of the way through the movie, jumping in fright and gripping him tightly during the scary scenes, which there seemed to be an abundance of in the newest installment of the _Tridark _films.

"This one's so dark," Sonny whispered to him, her warm breath tickling his ear as she did so.

He nodded, placing his hand on her own and then wondering why he had done so. There was no paparazzi in the theatre waiting to take a photograph of the apparent couple, but he found himself doing so instinctively. Sonny leaned more closely to him, relaxing into her seat a bit.

After the credits had rolled, Chad made sure to track down Jackson Tyler to introduce him to Sonny, after all he had promised her she would get to meet her favorite actor. While Chad had never worked with Jackson, he knew him well from the A-list Hollywood scene.

"Sup Cooper!" Jackson said when Chad had finally found him, doing a well-choreographed high-five/handshake routine.

"Not much, hey I want you to meet a friend of mine." Chad ushered Sonny over, who had suddenly become speechless and was in awe of the huge star.

"Jackson, this is Sonny Munroe." Chad gently nudged her forward, encouraging her to speak.

"Oh my gosh!" Sonny began to gush. "I've seen all of your movies. Including your last one. Well, of course you know that, we just finished watching it but… I just can't believe I'm finally meeting you!"

Chad smiled slightly, watching Sonny's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"From _So Random _right?" Jackson asked, extending his hand and shaking Sonny's as she nodded. "I love your show. You're my favorite, by the way," he added with a wink that made Sonny blush furiously. "You guys coming to the after party?" he added.

Sonny's face fell at the question. "Oh, I promised my mom I'd be home ear-"

"We'd love to come," Chad interrupted.

Jackson smiled. "Great, see you there."

"Chad, I told you I had to be home early," Sonny scowled after Jackson was out of earshot. "Why did you tell them we were coming?"

"You never so no to an after party, Munroe." Chad said with a smirk. "The purpose of a premiere is the excuse for an after party."

"And what do I tell my mom when I show up several hours late?" Sonny asked, exasperated.

"Come on, Munroe. This is going to be one of the biggest parties of the year."

"Well…" Sonny said in thought. "I think I can convince my mom. I'm just going to go give her a call real quick," she told him.

**X x  
><strong>

A short limo ride later Chad and Sonny found themselves at the hoping after party at Hotel Le Marseille, one of of LA's ritziest, most lavish hotels. Loud music and bright lights filled the ballroom. Once inside, Sonny recognized many of her favorite stars. Chad couldn't get over excited the girl was. He had been to so many premieres nothing much impressed him. Had he been with anyone else, Chad would have found the over excitement annoying, but there was just something about Sonny's smile and enthusiasm he found absolutely adorable.

He took her arm once more as they pushed through the crowd, stopping to talk to a few people along the way. "Stay here, I'll get us something to drink," he told her before disappearing into the crowd.

Sonny looked around at the schmoozing celebrities and now found herself quite uncomfortable. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting impatiently for Chad to return as loud dance music thumped in her ears and a few people brushed by her, knocking her out of the way in the process. Sonny quickly smoothed out her dress, noticing that several of the older party-goers were already extremely intoxicated, as well as a few of the younger ones.

She was relieved when Chad had finally returned fifteen minutes later, two glasses in hand. He held one out to her and she looked at the amber-colored drink skeptically. "Kentucky Derby?" he asked as Sonny's shoulders stiffened.

"What's wrong?"

"Um, I-" She shifted, looking from the drink back to him uncomfortably.

Chad rolled his eyes at her. "There's no alcohol in it Sonny, what sort of guy do you take me as?"

She blushed a bit as she accepted the drink. "Thank you."

"Oh god, here comes Zac Efron. I hate this guy," Chad told her under his breathe.

Sonny looked at him in disbelief. "How can anyone hate Zac Efron?"

"Shh," he shushed her. "Here he comes."

The older boy soon spotted Chad, nodding to him.

"Zac, my bud, what's up?" Chad shouted as if he had just spotted his long lost best friend.

"CDC," Zac replied as he approached the two. "What's up bud?"

"Not much, not much. It's been awhile, man," Chad replied, patting the older boy on the shoulder. "Too long. We need to hang real soon!" he exclaimed.

"No doubt man."

After a lengthy conversation about Zac's upcoming film, the two shook hands and said their goodbyes.

Chad shook his head. "I simply can't stand that guy."

Sonny frowned. "It would be interesting to see how you act around the people you actually like."

Chad glanced around, checking out the ever-growing crowd of A-listers. "Yeah, well you never admit to hating someone in this town. If the chance comes up to work with them you don't wanna screw yourself over."

"But why would you want to work with someone you can't stand?" Sonny asked. She was confused, but Chad was too busy zeroing on someone in the crowd.

"Hey, be right back," he said, handing his drink off to Sonny without bothering to meet her eyes before disappearing into the crowd once again.

Sonny sighed, finally taking a seat by herself and swishing around the non-alcoholic drink in her hand. The night definitely was not turning out as she had anticipated.

**X x  
><strong>

Chad chatted up the Jonas Brothers for what seemed like an eternity. On his way back to Sonny, he had run into the Sprouse twins, then the Thinkin' Lincolns. A good 45 minutes later he was searching frantically for his missing date.

"You seen Sonny?" he asked a few guests who had been in the area he had left her nearly an hour ago. Several people shrugged at the question. Next he found himself outside the women's restroom, calling her name in hopes of a reply. "Did you see a girl in there with a purple dress and dark hair?" he asked a woman exiting the bathroom. The woman shook her head.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he scoped out the dance floor, the snack table, and then last of all the bar. Awful thoughts of what could've happened to her started playing through his head as he broke out into a sweat. She could've been kidnapped. Someone might have slipped a roofie in her drink and then taken her up to their hotel room. Or, she might be with Zac Efron. Chad Dylan Cooper was now in full panic mode.

However, the buzz coming from his pocket soon snapped him out of his nightmare - a text from Sonny.

_**I'm in the garden**_

His raced out the back door of the hotel and through the botanical garden, his heart in his throat. And there he spotted her, standing on the arch bridge that stretched across the large coy pond in the center of the garden.

"Are you okay?" he asked, out of breath when he had finally reached the girl.

Sonny glanced up at him and then back down to the pond below her. "I'm fine."

"Why did you leave the party?" he asked as he stood at her side, studying her curiously. "Weren't you having a good time?"

Sonny sighed. "I don't belong here."

"What?" Chad asked her, confused. "Of course you belong here, you were invited."

"No, I mean I don't fit in here Chad. I'm wearing an outlet store dress, hardly anyone knows who I am, and I can't schmooze worth a damn. I sat alone at that table for half an hour and it was like I wasn't even there."

Chad had never seen Sonny look so deflated before. Since when did the girl have an inferiority complex? He reached out to her, grabbing a hold of her upper arm gently and turning her to face him.. "Sonny, you look amazing tonight, and of course you belong here. You're on television aren't you?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. It was sweet of you to ask me to the premiere Chad, but we're just two completely different people. You're movie premieres and Hollywood parties, I'm pizza and a movie with friends. I probably shouldn't have come here with you tonight. Do you think you could just take me back home?"

Chad nodded. He walked Sonny back to the limo in silence while mentally kicking himself for having left her by herself for so long.

When the limo dropped Sonny off at her apartment, it was almost one in the morning. Chad watched from his car, making sure she made it inside safely before letting his limo driver pull away. He sat in thought on his ride home, thinking over what Andy had said about his history with women. His one night with Sonny Munroe would undoubtedly make news in '_Tween Weekly_, but it seemed she would join the ranks of his other short-term relationships, and his dream of landing the main role in a blockbuster film was becoming just that - a dream.

**X x**


	3. Displays of Affection

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Displays of Affection"**

"So let me get this straight, you left one of the biggest parties of the year, early? That's pretty lame, even for you," Tawni said as she worked at filing her nails.

Sonny sighed. It was the Monday morning after the premiere. She hadn't wanted to discuss her less-than-memorable night with her co-star, but every detail of it was already up on the _'Tween Weekly _site. "Chad Dylan Cooper's New Gal Pal" had been one of the headlines on the main page that day, along with several of the snapshots of Chad and Sonny together the night of the premiere.

"It didn't help that Chad pretty much ditched me for the better part of the party. What was I supposed to do?"

"Oh, I don't know, introduce yourself, make connections. This is a huge opportunity for you! Even more so than being seen in the presence of yours truly." Tawni fluffed her hair in the mirror a bit before heading towards the door. "I'm gonna go get a muffin or something from the commissary. You want anything? Maybe it will help bring you out of your rut."

Tawni's words were a bit cruel, but Sonny knew she meant well. She often tried to be helpful; she just had a difficult time expressing it, much like a certain drama snob Sonny knew well.

Sonny shook her head.

"Suit yourself."

Sonny picked up her phone, flipping through the multitude of pictures of the premiere that had been uploaded to the _'Tween Weekly _site that weekend. Many of them were of her and Chad, Chad apparently having the time of his life and smiling. Sonny had appeared a bit less enthusiastic, her uncertainness of the night carrying across in the photos. She began to wonder more and more whether Hollywood really was her scene. She loved being on television, and she was good at her job; what worried her was the fact she would never be able to put on the fake front it took to work in this often cut-throat business.

"I wasn't aware anyone could photograph so beautifully," a voice said behind Sonny, causing her to startle and toss her phone up in the air. "And you don't look too shabby either," Chad added with a smirk.

"Chad, you scared the life out of me! How did I not even hear you come in?"

"It's part of my mystique," he answered with a grin. "And Tawni left the door open when she left."

He sat down on the couch next to Sonny, withdrawing a small gift-wrapped box from his pocket. "Hey, I got you a little something. An 'I'm sorry' present to make up for the other night."

Sonny grinned a little. "Chad, that's awfully sweet. You really didn't have to."

"But I did. Open it up."

Sonny accepted the box from Chad, lifting the cover to find a pair of glasses with the initials "CDC" printed across the side tucked inside. "Chades. Wow, Chad," she said in a monotone voice. "They're…great."

"Oh, and you'll need them for where I'm taking you this weekend," he added with a wink.

Sonny stared at him, questioningly. "Chad, I thought I told you-"

"Uh uh uh," he held up his hand to quiet her. "Let me finish. We're going to the beach for the day. We'll have a nice little picnic, collect some shells, catch some rays. No red carpets, no big-name celebrities - well, except me of course."

"That actually sounds kind of nice, Chad, but I have to admit it really doesn't sound like you."

"Well, what can I say? Chad Dylan Cooper is like an onion," he said, easing back on the chair and stretching his arms out behind his neck.

"How's that?" Sonny asked with a smirk. "He leaves a bad taste in your mouth?"

"_No…_," Chad glared. "I have many layers. What you saw Friday night was only skimming the surface of my complex personality."

Sonny laughed, shaking her head as she stuck the small gift box into her handbag.

"So you'll go with me?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

Sonny grinned slyly. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I never have to hear you use the word _Chades _again."

Smiling back sheepishly, he nodded.

**X x**

It was around noon when Chad received a call from Andy during some downtime in his dressing room.

"You did okay," he told the boy. "You were seen with her at the premiere and a bit at the after party. Your fans took notice, no doubt. Could've done a little more mingling at the party though."

"We ended up having to leave early. Sonny wasn't feeling so great," Chad lied.

"Mmm hmm," he heard Andy's slightly annoyed mumble over the other end of the line. "There is one problem though."

"What's that?" Chad asked him.

"There was a definite lack of PDA."

"What do you mean? I held her hand."

"Not enough Chad. You two are coming across as buddies. We need some real couple interaction here. That's what your fans want to see, not some childish hand-holding. You might as well have taken your sister."

"What did you expect me to do?" Chad asked, annoyed. "Stick my tongue down her throat right there on the red carpet?"

"No. But you definitely need some lip action and you need to make it look real. Time it right because if you catch her off guard and she slaps you afterwards, you've ruined everything."

Chad scowled. "You're turning dating into schoolwork, and we both know how I do at that."

"Are you taking her out again?" Andy asked, ignoring the actor's snide comment.

"Yeah, we're going to the beach this weekend."

"The beach isn't public enough Chad," Andy said with a grumble. "You need to take her somewhere with lots of people and paparazzi. You frequent the under 21 clubs, why not take her there?"

Chad sighed, remembering how the night had ended for them after the premiere. "Sonny doesn't do that scene; she wouldn't go with me. I have this all planned out, okay? I'm going to drop some hints on Flitter that I'm going to be at the beach and the paparazzi should be on us all day," Chad said, cringing a bit at the thought of being followed by cameramen for the day.

"Fine, just make sure you two look intimate when the cameras are on you."

"I'll do what I can," Chad said before hanging up his cell phone.

Be intimate with Sonny Munroe. His pulse quickened at the thought of it:

Lying together on a beach towel, cuddling.

Picking her up and carrying her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Kissing her softly as they stood in the surf.

Chad shook himself, trying to get his mind out of the gutter. He had to figure out a way to kiss Sonny, and make it look sincere. He had begun to feel nervous and a little ashamed about everything going on, but he knew it was the next crucial step in fixing his public image.

**X x**

It was a beautiful Saturday morning when Chad and Sonny hit the interstate en route to Hollywood Beach in Chad's white convertible. He had taken the top down, Sonny's dark brown hair blowing in the wind. Chad smiled as he realized she was sporting the sunglasses he had given to her earlier that week.

"So how often do you get to the beach?" Sonny asked him after they had parked the car and were struggling with the beach umbrella, picnic basket, plastic pail, and beach totes.

"Not as much as I used to," he answered. "I used to boogie board here all the time, but it's been a busy year for me with the show and my side projects."

"Well," Sonny said with a heave, almost losing her grip on the basket as she tightened her hold on it. "At least you have a summer hiatus coming up. Lots of free time to catch up on your leisurely activities."

Chad took a deep breath. "Nope, just means more work for me. As soon as we tape the season finale, I'm auditioning for more roles to fill my summer. Right now I'm working on landing a movie deal." Chad stiffened, realizing how literal the comment was, and quickly changed the subject. "How about you? Have you spent a lot of time out here?"

Sonny quickly shook her head. "I guess it's too hard to find a beach buddy. I hate coming here alone, but I've visited with my mom a couple of times."

"What, you mean Tawni doesn't work on her tan every weekend?" Chad asked in disbelief.

"She goes to the tanning salon," Sonny remarked. "She hates sand, too rough on her 'princess soles'."

The two finally managed to drop their gear, taking a moment to catch their breath when they came across a suitable empty spot. After setting up the umbrella, Sonny took the beach towel out of her tote, making sure to spread it out in the sun. Chad held his breath, taking a seat under the shade of the umbrella as Sonny kicked off her flip flops before pulling her red tank top up and over her head and shimmying out of her denim shorts.

Chad was instantly glad his sunglasses were hiding his ogling eyes. The girl was now dressed more scantily than he'd ever witnessed. He admired her skimpy, but not too skimpy, vintage-inspired blue bikini with ruffles and white polka dots. He couldn't help but to think it matched her innocent-yet-sexy personality perfectly. He was certain Sonny was the one of the few girls that could pull off a look like that.

Brandishing a bottle of sunscreen, a grin spread across his face, . "Need help with your back?" he asked hopefully.

Sonny pushed her drooping shades back onto her nose, shaking her head. "I'm actually in need of some sun today. For someone with the nickname 'Sonny' I have let myself get way too pale over the winter."

Chad sunk back into the sand in disappointment, knowing it was just as well. He'd probably have to sit with the picnic basket on his lap for the rest of the morning to hide his arousal had she obliged.

**X x**

After an hour or so of soaking in the sun and collecting shells for Sonny's younger cousin in Wisconsin, she and Chad sat down to eat lunch together. Sonny was surprised that Chad had packed a quite impressive spread for them to enjoy - club sandwiches, fresh fruit, and Wisconsin cheese, Sonny noted with a smile.

"My personal chef made up the basket," he admitted. "I would've done it myself, but I didn't know how you felt about bologna sandwiches."

Sonny laughed. "I'm surprised Chad Dylan Cooper actually knows what bologna is."

He smiled from under his glasses as he handed her a soda. "I may have a personal chef but I still enjoy the simpler things."

As Chad raised his drink to his lips, a beach ball flew out of nowhere, smacking it from his hands and spilling it all over the picnic basket, beach towels, and Sonny. She shrieked as the cold liquid splashed her bare skin, soaking her suit in the process. Chad quickly turned around, seeking out the offender with rage in his eyes.

A few feet away, a young boy and girl stood in open-mouthed horror.

Sonny watched nervously as Chad took the beach ball and marched over two the kids, removing his glasses and bending down to their level. The children's eyes glazed over when they realized who their beach ball had accidentally pelted.

"You call that a serve?" he asked them with a smile and the children immediately looked relieved.

Sonny smiled as Chad and the children began spiking the beach ball back and forth to each other, the children laughing as if they were having the time of their life. Sonny soon sprinted over, taking the liberty of joining in their game as well. They were at it for more than an hour before the kids were reluctantly pulled away by their parents, who were packing up their things to go home.

"I didn't know you liked children so well," Sonny said. "You really are surprising Chad."

He simply shrugged. "Who couldn't like kids?"

It was then that Chad caught site of a cameraman a few yards away. He had been having such a good time, he had almost forgotten why he was there. The actor pulled off his white tank, glancing at the man from the corner of his eye. "Go for a swim?" he asked Sonny, taking her hand in his own.

She nodded. "I'm still sticky from my soda shower," she said with a laugh.

Minutes later the two were splashing playfully in the water. A few paparazzi on the beach taking full advantage of their romp together, began snapping photos.

When Sonny realized she was being photographed, she immediately paused. "Oh, great. Cameras."

Chad turned around, trying to act surprised to see the paparazzi on them. "Just ignore them. If you let them bother you, it makes the whole situation even worse."

Sonny nodded. "Okay."

As Chad led her out deeper into the ocean, Sonny began to become a little more apprehensive, tugging back at his hand.

Chad frowned. "You do know how to swim, right?"

"Yeah, I just…" She shrugged a little. "I know it's stupid, but I keep hearing about sharks attacking people."

"Not around here."

"I know, but this is the ocean and there _are _sharks."

"Unless you're wearing a meat suit, I wouldn't worry," Chad said with a laugh. "Come on."

Sonny relished in the feeling of the cool waves against her skin, dunking under the water and swimming out a bit more with Chad following closely behind. Her head popped above the waves where Chad was watching her with a smile.

"What?" she asked, grinning back.

"I think you should've taken me up on the sunscreen offer. Your face is turning a bit red now."

Sonny's hand came up to touch her skin. "I'll be fine."

"You won't be saying that tomorrow. The sun out here isn't like what you softies from the Midwest have."

"Oh yeah?" Sonny asked. "I'd like to see you drive in a blizzard, Cooper," she retorted, skimming her hand across the water and splashing his face.

But instead of laughing back, Chad's expression became very serious. "Don't move Sonny."

"What is it?" Sonny asked anxiously.

"Just hold still!"

Standing completely still, she shook in fear. It was a shark, it had to be a shark.

"I'll save you!" the blonde-haired actor declared before picking her up bridal-style and racing towards the beach, fake-tripping himself along the way only to dunk Sonny beneath the waves along with him. The couple surfaced seconds later. Sonny's face carried a look of shock as she parted her drenched hair from her face and spewed water from her mouth.

She gasped. "Chad, I am going to _kill _you!"

That was enough to send Chad bolting back to shore, laughing hysterically.

Sonny took chase as fast as her legs could carry her through the deep water before finally catching up to him as they met the edge of the water. Chad stopped short of the beach, turning around and catching Sonny by the shoulders as the force of her running into him made the couple topple into the sand, the surf still washing over their feet.

"Cooper, you are so cruel!" She was now straddling him as she slapped his bare chest and shoulders playfully.

Chad was laughing madly, shielding himself from the angry brunette looming over him.

"Oh my God! The look on your face," he managed to say through the laughter.

"I thought we were going to die!"

Grabbing her wrists and flipping Sonny over so that she was now lying in the sand, he pinned her down as she giggled and smiled up at him. Now completely aware that the cameras were still on them, Chad leaned down and stole a kiss. For the first time he tasted her cherry lips, acknowledging how soft and subtle the felt against his. For a minute he forgot about paparazzi, and when he broke away Sonny looked completely stunned.

She stared up at him in wonder. Still feeling high from their kiss, Chad asked her, "Are you okay?"

"Y-you just caught me a little off guard is all," she stammered, her face now turning an even deeper shade of red.

Suddenly feeling very ashamed of himself, Chad stood up, offering his hand to Sonny and helping her up.

"Ice cream?" he asked her.

"Sure," she replied as they headed up to the boardwalk.

Sonny, who couldn't help but to feel a little weak in the knees, leaned on Chad as he wrapped his arm around her.

**X x**

"Today was amazing Chad," Sonny said with a smile as they walked barefoot in the sand towards the parking lot. "I haven't had that much fun since I left Wisconsin."

"You seem surprised," Chad said with a grin.

"I am," she admitted. "I guess I didn't know you had all of this in you. I'm glad I got to see the other side of Chad Dylan Cooper."

He smiled to himself, looking up when Sonny had suddenly stopped walking to place her hand on his arm.

"Chad, I have to ask you something."

He stared at her, surprised. "What is it?"

Sonny paused uncomfortably before going on. "I guess I just need to know…I need to know this isn't some sort of elaborate prank. It's just such a change in personality from the Chad I once knew. We don't have a very good history together, and it isn't like I haven't been fooled by you before." She bit her lip, her eyes full of uncertainty as she awaited her answer.

Suddenly Chad felt like the lowest guy on the face of the Earth to be using such a sweet girl, but he knew he could never tell her the truth. He had worked too hard for too long not to get this movie part, and if lying to Sonny was the only thing standing in the way, then he knew what he had to do.

"Don't be ridiculous," he assured her with the most sincere smile he could muster.

A small grin instantly spread across Sonny's face and she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. Chad slowly hugged her back, placing his face against the top of her head and closing his eyes.

He pushed his uncertain thoughts to the back of his mind. He pretended not to feel the tingling sensation that now surged through his body. He pretended that he hadn't felt anything when he had kissed her earlier that day on the beach. And, most of all, he pretended that there was absolutely nothing wrong with that fact that he was using her.

**X x**

**Be kind, review. ;)  
><strong>


	4. Warning Signs

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

**"Warning Signs"**

When Chad returned home that night, changing out of his swim trunks and white tank and into a pair of sleep pants, he sunk into his bed thinking over the events of that day. When he had agreed to fake-date Sonny, he didn't count on actually enjoying it. Sure, Sonny had always been somewhat pleasant to be in the presence of, but this was something more. Something different.

His fingertips touched his lips as he remembered that kiss. Sonny's scent, a combination of vanilla, sand, salt, and water, still stimulated his senses. He remembered the look on her face - one of such surprise and uncertainty. To be honest, after today, he was just as lost as she was. It was all supposed to be so simple: Trick Sonny into dating him so he could get the publicity he needed, and surely it wouldn't last too long. Chad would have his movie deal and Sonny would have _So Random_. Chad's conscience wasn't supposed to get in the way, but now everything was so confusing.

However, after tonight, it seemed that it was too late to go back. It was either dump Sonny and hurt her while losing his movie deal, or keep up with the whole charade and achieve his goal of starring in a blockbuster movie.

Anxiety over the whole situation would plague him that night, leaving him in a state restless insomnia. Come Sunday morning, Chad decided he would get out of town and try to forget about the whole thing, at least for awhile.

**X x**

The entire weekend had passed without so much as a word from Chad. Sonny thought back to that day on the beach, remembering how odd Chad had been after their kiss. She had been so stunned over the sudden act of affection that she was paralyzed with surprise. She now realized Chad must have thought she was the worst kisser in the world, just lying their like a lump as he pressed his smooth lips against hers.

Now it was Monday morning, and Sonny was back at the studio. When she arrived, Tawni was smirking at her from across the room, sitting high in her vanity chair.

"Have a good weekend?" she asked Sonny with a forced smile.

"Uh, yeah. I did, actually."

"Ah ha!"

Sonny looked at her roommate with a frown. "What?"

Tawni stood up, quickly closing in on Sonny's personal space. "You're seeing Chad," she said, her judging stare fixed on Sonny.

"Am not," Sonny quickly squeaked, inching back a little. "What would make you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe this week's cover of _Tween Weekly_?" She held up the most recent issue of the magazine, the picture of Chad and Sonny's kiss gracing the cover. Sonny was stretched out in the sand, Chad lying atop her with his lips pressed against hers as he gripped her wrists to the ground above her head. Both were soaking wet, sand sticking to their skin. To be honest, it looked like an some sort of sexy fragrance ad.

Sonny's eyes doubled in size as she swiped the magazine away. "Oh...my...gosh."

Tawni shook her head at the brunette. "Twice in a row you've made news in _Tween Weekly_. You're wasting the news space that used to be mine!"

"I can't believe this made the cover..." Sonny said, still zoning out.

"That's what you wanted right?" Tawni asked. "Taking Chad to the beach to seduce him so you could gain some publicity."

Sonny gritted her teeth, rolling up the magazine into a tube. "Right Tawni, that's totally something I would do." Her words dripped with sarcasm. "I'll have you know _he _was the one that invited _me _and _he _was the one that kissed _me_."

"Well," Tawni said, her attitude condescending. "Just be warned, once Chad has had his fun, don't be surprised when he kicks you to the curb."

"That's absurd Tawni."

"Right, because our previous encounters with Chad Dylan Cooper would tell you otherwise."

"He's not like that, Tawni. I think it's just a front...He's actually kinda sweet," Sonny defended the blond-haired actor as she plopped down in the chair of her desk.

"Mmm hmm, that's what he wants you to think," Tawni said as she shook her head in pity. "I'm just warning you because your my fr-..._cast mate_. When it comes to dating, Chad is bad news. He never dates a girl without some sort of ulterior motive. Just don't come crying on my shoulder when he breaks your heart." And with that, Tawni was gone.

Sonny sat for long moment as she stared at the cover of the magazine. Sighing, she put it away in her desk before heading to rehearsal.

**X x**

When rehearsals were over, the Randoms soon found themselves at the commissary, spooning unidentifiable slop onto their plates while resisting the urge to vomit.

"Yuck," Nico commented, steam rolling off the green goo which sat on his plate.

"Double yuck," Sonny said, wrinkling her nose. "You would think a Hollywood cafeteria could do better than this."

Nico, Grady, Zora, and Tawni took seats at their table while Sonny examined her lunch choices in the hopes for finding something better - an apple, a package of crackers, a packet of ketchup - anything that looked better than what was on her plate at the moment.

"Nope," a voice behind her said as Chad took the tray from her hands, dumping the food into the garbage. "No lady of mine is eating _this _for lunch," he said, eying the disposed food in disgust.

Sonny gave him an awkward look. "I guess I would rather go hungry that eat that anyway."

"Not today," Chad said, placing his hand on the small of her back. "There's a great little place within walking distance that makes incredible hero sandwiches. Care to join me?"

With a smile and a nod, she linked her arm in his as they passed the table of gawking Randoms and exited the door.

**X x**

"What's going on?" Sonny asked Chad when she saw a large crowd of people with cameras waiting outside the studio. "The paparazzi is here?" Before she could piece together what was happening and _why _it was happening, a microphone was shoved in her face.

"What's it like dating Chad Dylan Cooper?" the reporter holding the mic asked her.

"Uh…" Sonny managed, not sure of how to respond.

"How long have you two been dating?"

"Do you plan to work together?"

Sonny looked nervously to Chad, who quickly led her down the sidewalk and through the crowd of reporters, who were quickly closing in on the couple.

"No comment," he kept replying, while the questions continued to come.

While the walk to the sandwich shop wasn't far, due to the rather large crowd of paparazzi who had established themselves outside the studio and followed them along the way, it took Sonny and Chad a full 30 minutes to arrive there. Once inside the safe haven of the restaurant, they took a seat next to the front window and ordered their sandwiches.

"This is crazy," Sonny said, as she looked down at their sandwich. "I never thought us hanging out together would be so news-worthy."

Chad rolled his eyes. "That's Hollywood for you. It's all about who's dating who." He quickly bit his tongue, realizing whatever they were right now had never been defined. "How's your sandwich?" he quickly asked her.

"Good, really good. Thanks Chad."

A flash outside the window suddenly went off in Sonny's face, momentarily blinding her. She quickly blinked her eyes as Chad placed the palm of his hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Yeah..." Sonny said as her vision regained. "Is it always like this for you with the media?"

Chad shrugged. "Sometimes. It sorta depends on what I'm doing, I guess. If I'm out with someone new, I'd say this is pretty typical."

"How do you get used to it?"

"I don't know. I've been acting since I was five, so I guess it's just always been part of my life."

"And it doesn't bother you?" she asked.

"Well sure, it does sometimes. I guess it feels like it just sorta comes with the territory, you know?" Chad answered unsurely, sitting up straight.

"Oh..."

He looked at her with worry. "Something wrong?"

Sonny shrugged shyly. "Sometimes...sometimes I just think I'll never get used to this Hollywood stuff. I mean, a few months ago I was living in Wisconsin, living a pretty uneventful life. Today I'm sitting in a diner with Chad Dylan Cooper being photographed eating a sandwich."

"They are pretty relentless," he said, glancing away as another photographer snapped a picture.

"Right, but I guess it comes with the territory…" she said quietly.

He had begun to ask her what she meant when a slew of flashes went off in their faces. Not wasting another minute, he grabbed Sonny by the hand and led her outside, walking through the paparazzi as quickly as they could as reporters attacked them with an another onslaught of questions.

"Do your parents approve of your relationship?"

"As role models, how do you explain your sexy beach romp to your tween fan base ?"

"Sonny Munroe, is it true you're only dating Chad Dylan Cooper for publicity?"

He could see Sonny cringing uncomfortably at the questions, a look of distaste on her face.

When they arrived back to work, Condor Studios security put a stop to the paparazzi as Sonny and Chad ducked inside the building. Chad accompanied Sonny back to her dressing room, both taking a deep breath as they shut the door behind them. Sonny leaned against the door, a bit shaky and upset from the whole experience. Noticing her distress, Chad pulled her against him, enveloping her in a hug.

"I'm so sorry about that," he said as she sighed.

"That's okay, it's not your fault. It's not like you asked them to follow us."

Chad felt his heart sink, remembering his Flitter post that morning, subtly hinting at his lunch spot choice that day.

"I have to get back to my set," he told her, putting a bit of distance between them to read her expression. "Will you be okay?"

She nodded.

He gave her a half-smile before leaving

**X x**

After a long day at the studio, Sonny was more than glad to be heading home. Not too surprisingly, paparazzi was waiting at the studio gates once again when she had left that day. Her drive home turned out to be a paranoid one, glancing from left to right to make sure the cameramen weren't still on her tail, though it had seemed they had lost track of her after a few blocks.

"Hello honey," Sonny's mother greeted her as she entered her apartment.

"Hey Mom," she answered, tossing her purse on the couch and then sinking down tiredly into it. Sonny felt her mother's gaze fixed on her and glanced back to her mother curiously.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No…" Sonny replied with a confused expression.

Connie Munroe gave her daughter a knowing look as she held up a copy of _Tween Weekly_.

"Oh…that."

"How do you think I felt when a co-worker showed this to me today?" Connie asked in disbelief.

"Look Mom, I know it looks bad, but it was completely innocent. I swear."

"Honey, I trust you wouldn't do anything irresponsible," her mother comforted. "It just that if you're in a relationship with this boy, someone who's always in the public eye, things will get taken out of context."

Sonny gazed at her mother with sad eyes. "So…because of the fact that other people are making up stories about him means that I can't see him? Chad is completely innocent in all of this. It's not his fault the paparazzi watches his every move!"

"I just don't want your dating Chad to destroy you reputation, Sonny. You're a good girl. Chad is, well, he has a past. That's for sure."

"And you got this information from, where? The tabloids? Because they say he's a bad guy means that he is? You don't even know him."

"I just want you to be careful," Connie warned. "I think you're mature and responsible enough to make your own decisions about this, Sonny. I know you have a good head on your shoulders."

"Thanks Mom," she said, giving her mom a quick hug before heading to her bedroom.

"And I wouldn't mind meeting him sometime," Connie called to her daughter from the other room with a grin.

**X x**

"Do I really need to keep doing this?" Chad asked his agent when he met with him later that day in his home. They had been going over the details on Chad's sunglass endorsement deal that evening, and Andy had made sure to mention how pleased he was with Chad's progress with the press.

Andy looked up at Chad from across the dining room table, shuffling through some papers as he rolled his eyes at the boy. "Bored with this girl already, huh? I can't say that I'm surprised."

"No, it's not that," Chad said, looking down.

"Then what is it?"

"It's just that this paparazzi thing is really overwhelming for Sonny. She hasn't even been in Hollywood for a year and they're hounding her nonstop and asking her really personal questions anytime she's out."

Andy gave him a sly grin. "You like this girl."

Chad shook his head. "I just don't want her being harassed. She's a nice girl."

"You know what, that's fine. It's great. The whole story won't be hard to sell since you won't have to force yourself to look like you're enjoying her company," Andy said, closing his laptop.

"I don't _like _her," Chad defended himself once more. "But what about the paparazzi?"

Andy thought for a minute. "Just deal with it for now."

"How is that going to help anything?"

"Look, Chad, people have really taken notice to your new girlfriend. Sometimes going through a little trouble is worth the reward, and hey, if you're enjoying yourself along the way-"

"But Sonny isn't. You should have seen how shaken up she was this afternoon. I can't do it anymore," Chad said loudly, practically throwing the ink pen he clutched in his hand across the table. "I can't use her and upset her at the same time. She thinks I really like her, and she likes me back. Do you realize how upset she's going to be if she finds out it was all to gain some stupid publicity?"

Andy took a deep breath. "Chad, if you break up with this girl right now, it will be worse than if you never started seeing her," he warned the boy as he stared at him with dark eyes. "People will see that you dumped another perfectly nice girl for, apparently, no reason at all. You will _never _get this movie deal if you do that."

Chad remained quiet.

"Do you want to be another long-forgotten child actor? Do you want E! doing a story on 'Where is Chad Dylan Cooper Now?' You _need _this role, Chad. It's the catalyst that will put your entire adult career in motion."

Chad's frowned at that thought. "Fine," he spat.

"Thata boy," Andy told him, patting him on the arm and packing up the rest of his things before leaving.

**X x**

Sonny was a bit surprised when Chad called her later that night as she was getting ready for bed.

"I forgot to ask you at lunch, but do you want to go to dinner with me Friday night? I thought it might be nice for us to have a more formal date."

"Yeah, that sounds great," Sonny replied. "Only, do you think you could stop by a little early? My mom really wants to meet you."

"Really?" Chad asked, his voice wavering with nervousness.

"Oh, don't be scared. My mom's really cool. It's just that, well, she's freaking out over this whole paparazzi thing. She saw the magazine cover," she explained. "She's a bit brainwashed by the media, and I think it'd make her feel better to find out you're just an average guy."

"Sure," he replied. "Though I think we both know that I'm not average."

Sonny laughed. "There's that ego again. Every time I think you let it go, it rears it's ugly head. And relax, once Mom sees what I do, any sense of doubt will be gone."

There was a pause before Chad quickly said, "Hey, I gotta go. My mom's nagging me to get to bed already," he lied, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Sonny smiled. "Alright then. Goodnight, Chad."

"Goodnight."

**X x**

**A/N: **And now if you'd be so kind as to leave a review on the way out…


	5. Dressed to Impress

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Dressed to Impress"**

Friday morning Chad sat in front of his laptop, staring at text box that held his to-be-posted fleet for the day:

_**Going to The Moon Room tonight for an extra special evening.**_

The sentence seemed harmless enough, but Chad knew the consequences behind posting it. The paparazzi had been on he and Sonny all week, barely giving them enough room to even breath. Chad had made sure to arrive early at the studio every morning not only to be seen in her presence, but also to protect her from the unyielding photographers who would let nothing get in the way of a money-making photo.

As much as he told himself that Sonny would get used to the idea of being followed by the paparazzi, it seemed the situation had only gotten worse over the past few days. The girl had seemed down, paranoid, and just not herself. She would always smile through the pain and try to assure Chad that all was fine, but he knew better.

It was killing him to watch the change that had taken place in Sonny and realize _he _was the one causing it. However, he kept reminding himself what Andy had told him about his career going down the drain without this movie deal. He had also assured the boy that any pain he was causing Sonny would end come summertime when they both went their separate ways. Thinking about breaking up with her made Chad feel even crappier about the whole situation.

Recalling all that Sonny had been through that week, Chad sat staring at his computer screen. After 15 minutes of debating whether or not he would go through with it, he placed his face in his hands and reached over to the _Enter _key, striking it quickly without looking. The deed was done.

This evening was supposed to be extra special. Andy, being quite the opportunist, had decided to make a big production of Chad and Sonny's date that night, booking the best table at LA's finest restaurant and ordering a giant bouquet of flowers for Chad to present her with. "Make sure to give them to her on camera," Andy had reminded the boy. The thought of putting on such an act made Chad want to bolt.

Tonight Chad would also be meeting Sonny's mother for the first time, which made the evening even more nerve-wracking. Knowing the importance of being on the parents' good side, he had to figure out how to win Connie Munroe over. Not wasting another moment, he picked up his phone, his fingers quickly dialing the number he had dialed a thousand times before.

"Chad?" Portlyn asked when she answered the phone. "It's been awhile."

"I know. Hey Port, I thought you could come by the studio this afternoon. I sorta need a girl's opinion on something."

He could just hear her smirking through the phone.

**X x**

"Oh, I'm so nervous, Tawni!"

"Where is he taking you again?" Tawni asked, trying to act as nonchalantly as possible.

"I don't know, someplace fancy. And if it's Chad Dylan Cooper fancy, then chances are the menu will be in a completely different language," Sonny answered, searching frantically through the rack of clothing in her dressing area for just the right thing.

Tawni, trying her best not to appear jealous, peeped over Sonny's shoulder at the different dresses the rack held. "Hmm, well none of these will do. Shall we hit The GAP?" she asked with a smirk.

"Ha ha, very funny," Sonny said, rolling her eyes. "I really need to wear something classy tonight."

"Trying awfully hard to impress Pooper, are we?"

A slight blush crept on Sonny's face. "I like him."

"Alright," Tawni replied, throwing her hands up in the air and acting as if she had just given in to a huge favor.

"Alright what?" Sonny asked her with a frown.

"I'll go shopping with you. I'll help you pick the perfect dress to impress your egotistical, insanely over-confident boyfriend."

Sonny let out a small laugh. "Funny comment from someone who was cut from the same clothe as him."

Tawni grabbed her purse before saying, "This is the way you speak to someone who has so graciously agreed to help?"

Sonny grabbed her own purse, laughing and following Tawni out the door.

**X x**

Chad stood in front of his mirror, modeling a button-up shirt and studying himself meticulously when a familiar voice behind him spoke.

"Pink with blue pinstripes? You have _got _to be kidding me."

Grinning and spinning around, he saw Portlyn leaning leisurely against the doorway, wearing a pair of jeans and a UCLA hooded sweatshirt. "I have been gone much too long. Just look at the wardrobe decisions you have made for yourself," she said, motioning to the miscellaneous garments spewed across the room.

"This from a girl in jeans and sweats?"

"I'm in college now, so I have an excuse," she replied, standing up straight and walking toward her former co-star. "_You,_" she said as she stuck her finger into his chest,_ "_are still the number one teen heartthrob."

Smirks turned into genuine smiles as the two shared a friendly hug.

"So who's this girl you're trying so hard to impress? Last time I checked, all you had to do was wink at them. Must be someone important," Portlyn stated, pushing a pile of clothes off an armchair and taking a seat.

"You don't read the tabloids much, do you Port?"

"Uhh, I've been kinda busy with classes," she remarked, condescendingly. "Like I have time to keep up with the tabloids these days."

"So," Chad said, turning his back to her once again, unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it into the discard pile, leaving the boy still wearing a white undershirt. "I guess you haven't heard about Channy?"

Portlyn sat with a hard face, trying to figure out who Chad's mystery woman could be. "You're dating your nanny?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm glad you're still the same old Portlyn. I guess college hasn't made you any brighter," he remarked. "No, I'm seeing Sonny Munroe."

Portlyn's eyes widened. "Wait - a _Random_?"

Chad began looking through his large collection of multi-colored ties. "Yeah, it was Andy's idea. It's a publicity thing, and tonight I'm meeting her mom for the first time. I need to get in her good graces."

"Oh." Portlyn stepped closer, going through the clothes in his closet. "I'm surprised Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes would go for something like that."

Chad paused uncomfortably, letting the silk tie he held slip from his fingers. "She doesn't know."

Portlyn snorted. "Out of all the cruel tricks you've played on that girl, this one takes the cake."

He sighed. "I know."

"Besides," Portlyn said, meandering about the dressing room casually. "We all know you've always liked her."

Chad looked exasperated. _"What?_" he asked, his voice getting high.

"Admit it Cooper, Sonny Munroe has always held a place in your heart."

"Ridiculous."

"Is it?"

Chad glanced away, looking serious. "I don't know. I kept telling myself I didn't like her; that she wasn't good enough me. I always kept her a arms-length away," he said, staring off in a daze, as if talking to no-one in particular. "Then…when I had to start dating her and I could actually _allow _myself to like her, everything changed." He smiled to himself at that thought.

Portlyn approached him, narrowing her eyes. "You _do _like her. So why can't you just genuinely date her and be happy about it?"

He looked at her sadly. "Because our entire relationship is based on lies. We wouldn't even be together if I hadn't had lied to her in the first place."

Portlyn sighed. "You really are turning into Mackenzie, you know that? Matter of fact, I think your life might be even more dramatic," she said, giving him a shove and making him smile before holding up another shirt for him to try. "Now lets see what we can do with you."

**X x**

"Oh my God, Sonny! That is the dress that will knock Pooper's socks off," Tawni said as Sonny spun in front of a three-way mirror. Her shiny, black, and strapless silk dress brushed against the tops of her knees as she twirled. The sleek bodice of the dress was adorned with dozens of tiny rhinestones, trailing off as they met the bust. For something Tawni had picked out, Sonny had to admit it was quite classy and tasteful.

"You don't think it's too revealing?" she asked, trying to pull the dress up a little higher on her chest so that it exposed less cleavage.

"Believe me Sonny, judging by Chad's other girlfriends, the more revealing, the better," Tawni told her as her hands stopped Sonny from tugging on the dress as she brought it back down to it's regular position.

Sonny lifted up the tag, checking the price and grimacing. "This is so expensive Tawni."

"If you want to impress a guy, sometimes you've gotta spend a little coin."

"Right. I just won't eat for the rest of the week."

Tawni rolled her eyes at the brunette. "I'm pretty sure your mom pays for your groceries."

"Finding everything okay?" a shop assistant asked Sonny, who was still admiring herself in the most gorgeous dress she'd ever laid eyes on.

Biting her lip, she nodded. "I'll think I'll take it."

Sonny disappeared back into the fitting room, slipping out of the garment and back into her regular clothes. After grabbing her purse, Sonny stood at the counter with Tawni as she, somewhat reluctantly, handed the clerk her debit card to pay for the dress.

"Next stop: Shoes," Tawni said with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, like I haven't spent enough money today."

"Sonny, you cannot wear an old pair of heels with a dress like this. You need something equally as breath-taking," she told the brunette as she began dragging her out of the shop and down the road to a shoe shop a few stores down.

"Ugh," Sonny grunted, realizing that Tawni was right as she allowed herself to be pulled down the street by her cast mate.

Twenty minutes later, Sonny was modeling a black pair of dangerous-looking stilettos.

Tawni quickly nodded in approval. "Definitely."

"I don't know, Tawni," Sonny said nervously. "What if I trip over a curb and break my neck?"

"It will be worth it," Tawni said with a laugh.

"There goes my college savings," Sonny replied, defeated, as she handed her debit card to the store clerk.

"If you marry Chad, you won't need college," Tawni joked. "You'll be a made woman."

"Marry Chad," Sonny rolled her eyes, realizing if this conversation were taking place a month ago, the idea would seem completely preposterous.

The two girls set out with their shopping bags, stopping for some iced tea along the way. Walking along the sidewalk to Tawni's car, Sonny began thinking about what the girl had said about Chad earlier that week.

"So, do you think all the rumors about Chad are true?" Sonny asked. "Do you really think he's had that many girlfriends?"

Tawni sipped her drink thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes."

"Then why don't we see him out with girls all the time? He's always either with his cast or by himself."

"He doesn't keep them around too long. Probably has his fun then dumps them at the end of the week," Tawni said. "Which is why I don't suggest shopping ahead for any of your future dates," she added.

Sonny's heart sank at that comment. It sure _seemed _like he liked her, but was she going to end up being another one of Chad Dylan Cooper's many exes? Maybe he would change for her. Sonny sighed at the idea, realizing that more often than not, people just weren't capable of change.

**X x**

Sonny waited for Chad to arrive, standing impatiently next to the door. She checked her hair in the mirror again for the fourth time that evening before blotting away an invisible streak of lipstick from her teeth.

"Sonny, will you please sit down. You're making _me _nervous for heaven's sake," her mom commented as she watered some houseplants.

"I can't Mom, I don't wanna wrinkle my dress. Besides, he'll be here any minute."

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang and Sonny glanced at her mother nervously.

"You look _fine_," her mother assured her. "Now get the door while I rinse off my hands."

Taking a deep breath first, she opened the door, smiling brightly at Chad, who was dressed smartly in a black suit and light blue tie. He held a small bouquet of different-colored flowers in his arms.

"Oh, wow. For me?" she asked, amazed.

"For your mom actually," Chad said with an impish grin. "I have a little something to give you later."

His eyes sparkled as he gave her a good once-over. "Holy cow, Munroe. You look ho-"

"Ah hem," his sentence was interrupted by Connie, who had stepped up behind her daughter, pulling the door open wider.

"Stunning was what I was going to say," Chad quickly corrected himself, a slight blush tinting his cheeks. "You look absolutely stunning tonight, Sonny. Miss Munroe, these are for you," he held the flowers out to her mom.

Connie forced a smile before accepting the gift and saying, "How very nice of you, Chad. Please do come in."

Chad nervously stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "This is a great place by the way, Miss Munroe."

"Please, call me Connie," she said, ushering him to sit down. "And it looks a lot nicer now that we painted over the dirty footprint on the front door," she added with a knowing look.

Chad, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze, suddenly became speechless.

"Where are you kids going tonight?"

"The Moon Room," Chad replied. "It's a really nice restaurant on the Strip."

"Ah, it sounds lovely. I imagine it's a great place for a first date," Connie commented, staring him down. "I imagine you go there a lot."

"I uh…" Chad looked to Sonny for help.

"Well, we really should get going," Sonny said, moving quickly and grasping Chad's hand before pulling him from his seat. "We do have reservations, Mom."

Chad felt relieved. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Munroe…I mean Connie."

"Believe me Chad, the pleasure was all mine." Connie shot him a warning look before the two could leave, sending a shiver down Chad's spine.

**X x**

"Your mom is weird," Chad said, finally breaking the awkward silence on the drive to the restaurant.

Sonny stifled a giggle. "She's just over-protective."

"I think she made her mind up about me before I even got there," he commented. "I can't say it hasn't happened before."

"I'm so sorry Chad," she told him as she placed her hand on his arm to comfort him. "Once she gets to know you better, she really will learn to like you."

"No, it's fine Sonny. It's actually kind of nice that your mom worries about you so much," he said, glancing at her quickly and offering her a small grin. "My parents aren't around a lot and most times they don't seem too interested in what I'm up to."

"That must be hard," Sonny said to him, her dark brown eyes filled with sympathy.

Chad shrugged, turning and pulling up to the restaurant, which was bustling with commotion. A large group of paparazzi had already established themselves outside. Chad sighed as they began snapping pictures of them before they even had the chance to step foot out of the car. It was going to be a _long _night.

Sonny tried her best to look beyond the cameramen and at the mesmerizing restaurant. "Oh, wow Chad," she said, staring at the dark building with darkened windows and blue neon lights. A large yellow orb hung over the entrance of the restaurant, adorned with fancy calligraphy that spelt out it's name. "I've heard about this place. It looks amazing."

Chad studied Sonny's face as the paparazzi surrounded the car. He instantly began having second thoughts when he noted how frightened she looked.

"Hey look, if you don't wanna do this, I understand," he told her with all the sincerity in the world.

"No, I'm fine," she reassured him, not wanting to ruin the special evening he had planned for her.

Chad squeezed her hand comfortingly before opening his door and making his way through the group of photo opportunists before reaching Sonny's side of the car. Several of the picture-takers surrounded him, asking questions and giving him barely enough walking room to help his date out of the car before he handed his car keys off to the valet.

Chad's arm hung protectively over Sonny's shoulders as the two tried their best to duck through the menacing crowd that were closing in on them even more now that they were together. As they neared the entrance of the swanky restaurant, Chad loosened his grip on Sonny, instead taking her by the hand while leading her towards the door.

The photographers that surrounded them, being confined to such a small space, began shoving one another out of the way in hopes of a better shot. In the process, Sonny's hand was somehow pulled from Chad's own as she was pushed away to the other side of the paparazzi.

"Miss Munroe!"

"Sonny!"

Several of them called her name, encouraging her to look at them as they snapped her picture, their camera flashes practically blinding her in the process. She looked frantically to Chad, who was trying to make his way through the dense crowd and back to her. Barely able to move herself, Sonny began feeling very claustrophobic. The next think she knew, she was being hit hard, square in the face.

Chad watched in horror as one of the cameramen quickly spun around to snap a photo, only to end up striking Sonny with the lens of his camera in the process. She shrieked in pain, falling back from the force of the blow. Sonny heard Chad scream her name helplessly as she hit the hard pavement below her.

**X x**

**A/N: **Uh, since it's called "Flitter" and not "Twitter" on Sonny With a Chance, I assumed it would be "fleet" instead of "tweet." It sounds sorta weird and reminds me of Navy ships, but oh well.

**Review!** =)

**X x**


	6. More Than a Feeling

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**More Than a Feeling"**

"Sonny!" Chad's voice screamed, raspy and powerless.

It had all happened so fast - Sonny had been hit hard in the face before hitting the sidewalk with such force that the wind was knocked right out of her. Now she lie there, her eyes closed, holding her ankle and seething in pain while cameramen continued to film.

Putting any sense of politeness aside for the moment, Chad pushed hard against the crowd. "Get out of the way!" he screamed at the paparazzi as he shoved his way forcibly through. When he finally reached her, Sonny's sad brown eyes stared up at him and he could see that she was crying.

"Oh God, are you okay?" he asked her as he knelt down at her side.

Chad's heart broke in two at the site Sonny looking completely embarrassed as she tried to control her sobs. "I-I got my heel stuck in the sidewalk when I fell," she explained. "It twisted my ankle."

Her hair and dress were a mess as she sat on the walkway barefoot, her shoes having been disposed of somewhere amongst the crowd. A nasty-looking bright red blotch marked her right cheek where she had been hit with the lens. Chad placed his hand on her back as he motioned for the valet to quickly return his car. Not waiting another minute, he scooped her up into his arms and pushed through the crowd once more. Cameras were still flashing around the couple as Sonny placed one hand on Chad's shoulder while burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"It'll be okay," he soothed in her ear.

By the time they had reached the street, Chad's convertible had been returned and the valet opened the door so that he could safely seat Sonny in the passenger's side before buckling her in. After quickly slipping the valet a generous tip, he sprinted around to the other side of the car, slipping in to the driver's seat and locking the doors.

"We need to get you to the hospital," he said, glancing at the disheveled girl next to him and putting his car in gear. He raced from the restaurant as quickly as he could without running anyone over in the process.

"Chad, I don't need a hospital," Sonny assured him, wiping away tears from her eyes. "It's just a sprain."

Chad checked his review mirror, taking note that there was a white van following them - the paparazzi.

When he was finally forced to stop at a red light, he turned to her. "You got hit in the face pretty hard, Sonny. We need to make sure you don't have a concussion or anything."

She quickly shook her head. "Honestly Chad, I'm fine. I'm just in a bit pain."

He looked at her sadly. "Sonny, I'm so sorry I-"

"Chad, this is _not _your fault!"

He shook his head, angry at himself for taking it this far. She could've broken something. She could've been knocked out. With the white van behind them still on their tail, Chad stopped to make a sudden turn. Then another. And another. Before he knew it, he had lost them completely.

"Where are we going?" Sonny finally asked him.

"My place is closer than yours. It's gated and secure. We'll hang out there for awhile and make sure no one's following us," he explained.

Half an hour later, they passed through a giant iron gate that surrounded Chad's large, yet surprisingly modest, home.

"What, no Chad-shaped shrubs surrounding the driveway?" Sonny joked. Chad noted that while her eyelashes were still wet, her tears had stopped. Glad she was feeling better, he smiled at her. "I figured with the Chad fountain, the shrubs would be over-doing it a bit."

Chad pulled his car as closely to the front door of his home as possible. He darted around to Sonny's side, unbuckling her and lifting her out of his car. He felt his heart skip a beat when he realized how good it felt to hold her in his arms, her long, dark hair brushing across his face as he walked. She was surprisingly light, mostly due to her short stature, he thought.

Chad's housekeeper, Sasha, met him at the door.

"Chad, what has happened!" she exclaimed in a thick Russian accent. The middle-aged woman, still wearing her housekeeping uniform, followed Chad into the house.

"Paparazzi," he simply replied. Sasha nodded, the explanation seeming to be enough. "Can you get us some ice for Sonny's face and ankle, Sasha? Maybe a tension bandage and some pain medicine, too."

The woman nodded before rushing off into the kitchen as Chad settled Sonny onto the sofa. He sighed as he looked at her, taking her hand in his own. "I feel so bad."

"Will you stop that!" she exclaimed.

Chad kept shaking his head in regret before Sonny finally reached out to cup his chin in her palm. Her brown eyes met his bright blue ones. "Chad, stop beating yourself up. Are you the one who hit me in the face with a camera? Did you somehow manage to wedge my heel between the bricks?"

"I still feel awful…"

Soon, Sasha returned with ice, bandages, a bottle of Tylenol, and a glass of water in hand.

"Thank you," Chad told her as he accepted the items.

"If you need anything more, just call," she said with a wink.

Chad merely smiled and nodded. "Here," he said as he poured a single pill out of the Tylenol bottle and handed it to Sonny along with the glass of water. "To help with the pain. I guess your shoes are back at the restaurant," he realized, reaching out to Sonny's bare foot and holding it on his knee, causing her to wince in pain.

"Yes, but after tonight, I honestly don't know if I'll ever wear stilettos again."

Chad's hands expertly wrapped the bandage around her swollen foot, his finger tips lightly gracing her skin as they did so. The spark she felt from his touch made her shiver. After Sonny's foot had been wrapped, he placed a towel-covered ice pack on it.

"Just keep it elevated for now," he told her, helping her prop her foot up on a throw pillow he had sat on the coffee table in front of them. Sonny smiled as Chad situated himself closely at her side, wrapping an arm over her shoulders while using his other to gently place a bag of ice at her cheek. "How's your face feel?"

"Sore," she answered honestly.

"It's already starting to bruise. Your makeup lady will have her hands full Wednesday night."

She lay her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about your dress. And your shoes," he offered.

Sonny, too, had noticed the tear along the side of her dress earlier; not only that, but small snags of silk stood out visibly and a few rhinestones had been detached. Her face fell when she realized that it probably wouldn't be able to be worn again.

"Do you want me to find you something to wear?" he asked her.

"It is getting a bit chilly."

"I'll be right back, okay?" he told her as he handed her the remote control.

Chad sprinted up the stairs to his room, finding a pair of sweats he had worn in eight grade along with some flip-flops that would have to make due. When he returned to the living room, Sonny was watching a Garfield movie on the television.

"Some of Bill Murray's best work," Chad joked as he handed the clothing to her.

"Um…where am I supposed to change?" she asked him.

"Oh crap, I didn't think of that. You can use my bedroom, if your foot's feeling well enough to get up the stairs."

"Okay, maybe in a few minutes? I love this part."

Chad relaxed at Sonny's side once again, sitting and watching for a few minutes. "I just don't understand why they animated Garfield and not Odie," he said, receiving a loud hush.

He smiled at how intrigued Sonny was with the children's move that she had obviously watched many times before. After a few moments of watching what arguably could've been the worst movie he'd ever seen, Chad could hear Sonny's stomach grumbling fiercely.

"Hungry?" he asked her. "We never did get the chance to have dinner."

"Starving actually," she shyly admitted. "I skipped lunch, too."

"Well, my personal chef isn't in, but luckily you are in the presence of a regular gourmet."

Sonny smiled slightly. "Is that so?"

"You sit and enjoy your movie. I will make you a meal that will put The Moon Room to shame," he told her with a wink, patting her on the leg before getting up from his seat.

Sonny could hear Chad bustling about in the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans clanking around before he returned with dishes and silverware, setting the coffee table with some of his finest tableware. "It's almost done," he told her.

"That fast?"

Chad soon returned with a plate of fried bologna sandwiches on toast, a pot of chicken noodle soup from a can, and juice boxes to drink. Sonny tried to contain her laughter as he served up the meal on the fine china before offering her a bottle of mustard.

"What, too cheap for pickle loaf, Cooper?" she said with a wide smile.

"Hey, I'm not made of money," he joked. "I have ice cream sandwiches for dessert, but I'll bring those out later."

The two sat, completely famished and thoroughly enjoying their "gourmet" meal. Sonny took a sip from her juice box before saying, "I thought my father was the only person on Earth who fried bologna. I feel like a kid again."

Chad laughed. "I guess I should be embarrassed to admit I enjoy this meal on a weekly basis."

"Probably," Sonny agreed with a smile.

After the couple had finished their meal and Chad had, surprisingly, loaded the dishwasher himself, he helped Sonny up to the stairs to his bedroom. He flipped on the light to reveal what could have easily been mistaken as a child's room, what with all of the baseball trophies, plastic dinosaurs, and Matchbox cars. The part that had really caught Sonny's eye, however, was the red racecar bed under the window.

"Wow, Chad. It's so…" Sonny began, before coming to a loss for words.

"Juvenile?"

"Do you really sleep in that bed?" she asked, looking oddly at the twin-size children's bed.

"No," he admitted. "I'm a bit tall for it now. I actually spend most nights in the guest room. I'm guess I'm just not ready to let it go."

"Why is that?" Sonny asked as she took a seat on the bed, smoothing her hand over the sheets.

Chad sat down next to her. "Well, when I was a kid I wasn't home a lot. I was either traveling with my parents or doing jobs in New York and other places. I sorta missed out on my childhood being an child actor and everything," he explained. "I guess I'm just not ready to give up the life I never really had as a kid."

Sonny grasped Chad's forearm as she looked at him sadly. "That's so sad."

He just shrugged. "Well, it got me to where I am now, didn't it? How many guys my age can say they have four seasons of a hit show under their belt?"

"So, you've known since you were really little exactly what you wanted to do?" Sonny asked, astonished. "That's incredible Chad."

"Actually, when I was five I wanted to be a fireman," he admitted sheepishly. "Working in the business, my parents convinced me that acting would be more lucrative," he said, looking down at his lap.

"But you like acting, right? I mean, you're so good at it."

A sly smile spread across his lips. "You think I'm a good actor?"

Sonny blushed, nodding. "Well yeah. I mean, you act, you direct, and you write. I guess I've never said it - probably because you always say it for me - but what you do is sorta amazing."

Looking at Sonny right now, being so incredibly adorable as she gushed over him, Chad couldn't help but to have a strong feeling of wanting to be with and protect her forever. "Yeah," he began, "Well, sometimes I wish my parents wouldn't have pushed me so hard into acting. Once _Mackenzie Falls _is over, that may be it for my career. I've been working on a movie career, but I have to admit even that isn't going so well. I just feel like if they would have encouraged me to do better in school instead of pushing me into concentrating so hard on my acting career, I'd have a whole world of options."

Sonny sat shaking her head in disbelief before saying "Chad, you're 17! You're acting like you don't have time to figure out what you really want to do. If you want to get your grades up, I'd be glad to help you**. **It's never too late to become the person you might have been."

"George Eliot?" he asked as she nodded.

"See? You're way smarter than you give yourself credit for."

He smiled shyly to himself.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to get out of this dress now," Sonny said, snapping him out of his daze.

"Oh yeah, of course," Chad said, leaving and closing the door behind him. As he stood outside his bedroom, waiting, he couldn't stop smiling. Sonny was incredible. He had never expected her to understand him so completely; to be so encouraging. Chad could feel his heart beating hard inside his chest as he continued to think about her.

"Chad, you can come back in," he finally heard her call from inside the room.

Chad smiled when he saw her standing there, wearing his old sweatpants and baseball tee. "You look so cute," he couldn't help but to tell her.

"Yes, much better than my several-hundred dollar dress," she sarcastically replied.

"You'd look great in a potato sack," he assured her as he pulled her into his arms and she leaned against him, taking comfort in his warm embrace.

"Hmm," hummed against his chest. "Sounds like a new fashion trend."

Chad loved the way her body felt pressed against him as her arms wrapped around his waist. He knew this was a feeling he could definitely get used to - holding her protectively in his embrace. Remembering what had brought them this far, he kicked himself. An honest relationship with Sonny Munroe was impossible. Maybe if he could just tell her - if he just explain himself. Maybe he could make this relationship right.

Chad gently pushed her away a bit to stare into her dark brown eyes. "Sonny, I have to be honest. There's something I need to tell you-"

"Chad Dylan Cooper!" she interrupted him. "If you blame yourself for this one more time, I'm going to have to smack you!"

He laughed. "I never took you as a physically violent person," he told her. "Listen, I-"

But his confession was swiftly cut off as Sonny stepped up on her tippy-toes, favoring her good ankle over the bandage-wrapped one as her lips connecting with his. His eyes widened with surprise before closing as he melted into her. Chad's right hand wound demandingly into her dark curls as his other arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her. Sonny brought her own hands slowly up his chest before resting them on his shoulders. It was utterly amazing, and nothing could've pulled them from their current position.

Almost nothing.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

The two very reluctantly broke apart at the sound of Chad's phone.

"Just a sec," he assured her, recognizing the dry, dull ring tone he had personally chosen for it's caller very well - _Andy_. Rolling his eyes and sighing, he flipped it open quickly.

"Wrong number jerk," he simply said into the phone before tossing it across the room and pulling Sonny back into his arms. "Now where were we?" he asked before locking lips with her once again.

**X x**

**A/N **Thanks to everyone who has been reading so far, and an extra special thanks to those who have taken the time to **review**. It will be a turn of events after this. I still have several more chapters planned for this fic. =)


	7. No Regrets

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**No Regrets"**

It was almost summertime, and the past several weeks that Chad was able to officially call Sonny Munroe his had been wonderful. When he had stopped posting his whereabouts to Flitter, the paparazzi had laid off a bit. After the whole incident at The Moon Room, the press went under fire for hurting an innocent teenage girl. Not only that, but Chad had become an unintentional hero after photos of him carrying Sonny to his car had graced the cover of every teenage magazine in the country. While usually he would have been basking in such good press, Chad couldn't allow himself to enjoy it due to the intense feeling of guilt that had followed after Sonny had been hit. He had never admitted to her how it was all his fault, knowing that even if it made him less guilty, it would only result in breaking her heart. Chad couldn't even contemplate the thought of ever losing her.

It was a beautiful May morning when Chad found Sonny going over some fan mail in her dressing room.

"Knock knock," he said before opening the door.

"Oh, hey Chad," she said, glancing up from a letter she was reading and forcing a smile before planting a small kiss on his cheek.

Chad's brows drew together when he noticed she was looking a bit down. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah…I've just been getting some negative fan mail lately."

"Surely not M'lady," he said as he stared over her shoulder at the letter she was reading. "You're sure you didn't somehow accidentally open some of Tawni's?"

Sonny let out a little laugh. "No, but they all seem to be from 13-year-old girls who are in love with _you_. Some of them are actually kind of threatening."

Chad stared at her, giving her a serious and scared look.

"Chad, relax. I doubt some girl in junior high has the means to put out a hit on me," Sonny joked, seeming a bit upbeat, considering the circumstances. Chad could tell she was trying her best not to let it get to her, but deep down Sonny felt unconfident.

"Sonny-"

"Seriously Chad," she quickly interrupted him. "Don't worry about me. There's just a bunch of jealous girls out there who are mad because I'm the one that snagged you," she told him as she stood up and kissed him again, this time on the lips. "It's fine. This sorta thing happens all the time."

He nodded, not feeling much better about the whole situation. Someone was making Sonny second guess herself, and it angered him.

Sonny took his hand in her own, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Hey, Marshall's ordered a rewrite of the pudding sketch. Turns out Mr. Condor is a close friend of Bill Cosby and Jell-O is one of our sponsors. I have the morning off," she said with a grin. "Maybe we could hang for a awhile before you have to shoot?"

Chad grinned as he grasped her hand back. "Actually, my character's in a coma this week. I don't have to shoot until this afternoon. I guess you're in luck."

"I never thought I'd be so happy that someone is in a coma," she said with a giggle. "Any ideas about what to do with our morning?"

"Smoothies?"

"Again?"

"_Again,_" Chad said, defiantly, guiding her towards the exit and across the parking lot to his convertible. Smoothies, somehow, had become a daily ritual for the couple. Sonny was almost certain that Chad drank his own weight in them every month. Not only that, but he seemed to always be able to convince the waitress into letting him formulate his own smoothie concoctions - it was all part of the "CDC charm."

Once Chad and Sonny had made the drive to their favorite smoothie stop, picked their flavor of the day, and headed for the door, Sonny grinned at her beau brightly as she tugged him in the opposite direction of where he had parked his car.

"Hey! Where are we going?" Chad asked her, holding his smoothie in a death grip as the petite brunette pulled at his arm.

"I have an idea," she said as they followed the sidewalk several blocks until they had arrived at a park. Minutes later, the couple were each standing with a small sack of breadcrumbs at the edge of a duck pond. Chad looked on in confusion as the girl awed and cooed at the feathered friends. He had thought that this sort of thing had happened enough by now that he shouldn't be surprised. Sonny seemed to be a bit more impulsive than he'd ever imagined, especially when it came to something adorable.

"Lacey had babies!" she awed as a small group of ducklings swam by, ducking into the water to retrieve the crumbs. "They are so _cuuute_."

"I see you've been here before," Chad said with a smile as she scattered the breadcrumbs at the edge of the pond, a big toothy grin spread across her face as she thoroughly enjoyed every moment. "What? You don't have ducks in Wisconsin?" he asked her.

Sonny rolled her eyes at him. "Of course we have ducks in Wisconsin."

"I've just never seen anyone go gaga over a bunch of animals," he said, watching her as he took another sip of his smoothie.

"How could you not?" she asked him, not bothering to look up as she did so. After she fed the ducks every last morsel from her sack, she reached for Chad's almost full one.

"You don't like animals at all, Chad?" she asked with a pout.

"Well, sure. I like _useful _ones."

"Ducks are useful," she retorted.

"Really, how?" he asked her with a smirk.

Sonny stood quietly, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "They're fun to watch."

He looked at her doubtfully.

"Alright, the ducks have had their meal. We can go now," she gave in with a laugh after she had fed the ducks her very last breadcrumb before accepting her smoothie back. "Speaking of meals, my mom wants to know what you want for dinner tonight," she said to Chad, entwining her fingers in his as they walked back.

"Strange how your mom has taken a sudden liking to me," Chad commented. "You'd think after I returned you home with a sprained ankle and wearing my clothing she'd never let us date."

Sonny rolled her eyes. "My mom reads the tabloids. After what you did for me at The Moon Room, you're a knight in shining armor according to her."

"Hmm, then I shouldn't feel guilty about asking her for lobster and caviar?"

She gave him a playful shove. "You wanna switch?" she asked him, referring to his smoothie.

He nodded, giving the girl his cup and accepting hers. Chad brought the straw to his lips, trying to suck the frozen beverage into his mouth before realizing the cup was completely empty.

"There's nothing left!" he exclaimed as Sonny burst into giggles while she took a long sip of his own. "Oh no you didn't," he warned as she gave him a refreshing sigh.

"I'll make it up to you," she yelled back as she broke into a sprint, Chad taking chase as he followed her back to his car.

**X x**

"We have another half-hour," Sonny said with a grin as she played with the lapel of Chad's jacket after they had arrived back at the studio.

He nodded. "What do you wanna do?"

She gave him a seductive smile as she grasped the striped tie of his school uniform and pulled him into his dressing room. His eyes widened at the action, but he followed, curious what she was leading up to.

"I hope this doesn't involve bunnies," he said as he, once again, allowed her to drag him along.

Once the door of his dressing room had closed behind them, Sonny's lips crashed into his and he wrapped his arms around her. Chad smiled into the kiss, leading her to his couch, still lip-locked as they toppled onto it. Now lying atop of Sonny, Chad separated his lips from hers for a second as he looked down at her, causing Sonny to giggle.

"I told you I'd make up for stealing your smoothie," she teased.

"I'll say," he said, his lips moving to her jaw as he left a trail of tiny kisses up to her earlobe. "If it ends in a lunchtime make-out session, I'll let you steal my smoothie every day," he declared before his lips moved to hers again.

Chad was pretty sure he'd never been this happy in his entire life. He remembered when he had gotten his part on _Mackenzie Falls._ He was ecstatic, and this moment most definitely surpassed that one. Being with Sonny was so much different then any of the other girls he'd dated. While he previous love life was based on raging teenage hormones, with Sonny he found himself just wanting to make her as happy as she made him.

"_Chad Dylan Cooper is needed on the set," _the studio's loudspeaker announced.

Chad finally separated his lips from Sonny's own, groaning.

"It's just as well," she said. "I should get back and see how the rewrite went anyway."

Chad pouted.

"It's not like we won't see each other again. You'll be at my house tonight!"

"Yeah, but does your mom mind if we make out on her couch?" he joked.

She punched him in the arm. "You have a one track mind."

"Can you blame me? You're a great kisser."

Sonny blushed a bit as she stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress and fixing her hair. Chad pulled her into one last heated kiss before Sonny reluctantly broke away.

"I really should go, Chad," she told him. "See you at dinner?"

With a smile, he nodded. He stood in the doorway as he watched her exit Stage 2, not turning away until she was completely out of sight.

**X x**

"I have good news," Andy declared at his meeting with Chad at the studio that afternoon.

"Finally," Chad muttered. The past several weeks had been difficult. First, with the press on his back at all times, and now with the new slew of personal attacks against Sonny coming from Chad's most _devoted _fans - a group of delusional 'tween girls who thought they would have a chance if it weren't for the brunette comedian.

"I've set you up for an audition for the new romantic comedy I told you about back in March."

Chad straightened up, beaming with happiness.

"The casting director is very impressed with your work, not to mention the amount of attention that has recently been directed towards you."

After Chad had hung up on Andy during his and Sonny's date several weeks ago, the man was less than enthusiastic. Chad had told Andy the next morning about his refusal to drop any more hints to the press. Although he wasn't happy with Chad's "antics" as he called them, the night at the restaurant alone had given him more good press than he'd ever need. Chad Dylan Cooper was most certainly coming across as the romantic type.

"Well," Chad said, "at least some good came from that headache."

Andy nodded. "I think your chances are pretty good with this one. I'm afraid that I also have some bad news for you though."

His eyes widened. "What? What is it?"

"If you've checked your Flitter account over the past few weeks, surely you've noticed that you've lost a lot of your followers. It's probably a combination of your lack of fleets and a sudden disinterest from your female fan base."

Chad shrugged. "I can start posting again. I just don't want people following me and Sonny on dates all the time, but I have no problem posting about anything else."

Andy sighed. "There's been a lot of hate directed at Sonny Munroe. It was cute when your whole relationship started out, but now girls are getting jealous and you're losing fans. It's time to let her go."

"What?" Chad sprang from his chair furiously. "First you make me date her, then you make me let the stupid press follow us around and hassle us, now I'm just supposed to dump her? There's no way in hell."

"Chad, calm down. I know you like this Munroe girl, but be realistic. You need to look out for your career first and foremost." Andy stood, grasping the boys shoulder while trying to get him to listen to what he had to say.

"No." Chad shook his head as he pulled out of the older man's grasp. "I won't do it. Sonny is too important to me. I won't destroy her like that. I just won't do it."

"There will be other girls, Chad. For every Sonny Munroe you dump, there are 10 more waiting in the wings. You're young, it's too early for someone your age in Hollywood to settle down."

Chad felt like he was going to get sick trying to reason with Andy. "So that's your philosophy? I'm supposed to step all over the people I care about to get what I want? This is stupid. You manage my career, not my life."

Andy gave him a dangerous look. "Look, I didn't get into this business to work for some brat who wants to play Russian roulette with his career. Look at how far I've taken you."

Frustrated, Chad sunk into his seat and buried his face in his hands. "Get out," he mumbled.

"What?" Andy asked, exasperated.

Chad uncovered his hands from his face and looked up at the man. "You're fired. Just get out."

"You're making a huge mistake, kid," Andy said to him in disgust.

"I don't care. Now leave before I call security." Chad gave him a dead serious look as he spoke.

Andy took only a few seconds to gather his things and slam the door behind him as he left. What had started as one of the best days of Chad's life, was easily ending up being one of the worst.

**X x**

"…so then we decided just to do the sketch about yogurt. I think it will still work out though. I couldn't stop cracking up during rehearsal," Sonny went on with a smile as Chad helped her set the table. "Are you listening?"

Chad shook himself. "I'm sorry Sonny, I had sort of a rough afternoon."

"_Ohhh_," Sonny soothed as she reached over to hug him. Chad sighed as he breathed in the aroma of her raspberry-scented hair. "Well, maybe some of mom's glazed ham will make you feel better."

"Sounds great," he agreed.

After dinner, Chad and Sonny settled onto the couch for a movie while Connie Munroe busied herself with some paperwork she had brought home from the office. Chad sat in the corner of the couch as Sonny stretched her legs out across it, leaning against him and cuddling into his arms. Sonny had chosen some sappy chick flick like she usually did. Chad found himself concentrating more on what Andy had said than the movie's plotline, however.

Andy was one of the best in the business. Chad wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with the possibility of a major movie deal now that he had no agent. Sure, he could always find another one, but good agents were hard to come by. Thinking about his predicament, he almost felt like crying.

Although Chad had been contemplating whether or not he'd done the right thing all day, now that he was with Sonny, he knew he had made the right decision. Just being with Sonny made him feel like he was a better person. Letting her go would surely be the end of the euphoria he had experienced over the past two months. He knew he would do _anything _for her. After the credits had started to roll, Sonny walked him out into the hall to say good bye.

"Thanks for dinner. It was great," he told her.

"Chad," Sonny stared at him with her warm brown eyes. "If you ever want to talk about anything, you know I'm always here to listen."

He nodded. "I know. I'm just…figuring some things out right now. But, hey, I got an audition for that movie I was telling you about."

A smile instantly spread across her face, and she looked as happy as he'd felt earlier that day when he was given the same news. "Chad, that's great!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy for you."

He closed his eyes as he pulled her tightly against his chest. "After this afternoon, I feel so much better just being with you. You make me so happy, Sonny."

Sonny blushed furiously as she stared up at him. "I should go back in…it's getting late," she said, smiling shyly.

Chad nodded and kissed her softly. "Goodnight M'lady."

"Good night Chad."

When Chad watched the door closed behind her, he knew he would have no regrets over his decision.

**X x**


	8. Hollywood Distractions

**(**_**A/N: **__**I usually don't do my author's notes at the beginning of this chapter, but thought I'd warn my readers that this chapter has the "adult situations" I referred to in the summary. It's implied and not described in great detail or anything**_**. **_**If you just don't wanna read it, it's at the very end. You'll know when it's coming, but also note that it will be referred to in future chapters.**_**)**

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Hollywood Distractions"**

The last few weeks had been an emotional roller coaster for Chad. Though he had the fortune of completing his third callback for his movie audition, Sonny seemed to be going through something entirely different. Chad's fans did not seize in the torment and she received more and more hate mail every day. Online groups collaborated together to join in their distaste of the girl. The worst part was that Chad was pretty sure if he had not allowed the press to shove their relationship in everyone's faces at the beginning, she wouldn't be going through such a hard time right now.

But Sonny, being always a ray of sun, smiled through the pain. She knew she couldn't allow Chad to feel sorry for her at a time when he should be focusing on his career. She had never been so happy for someone in her life, knowing how much Chad wanted the leading role of the movie for which he was auditioning. His prospects looked good, and she was almost certain he would be cast.

Today, Chad tried to put all of the uncertainty aside. He had just wrapped up shooting the finale for _Mackenzie Falls_. Tomorrow night would be the wrap party, and then all that was left was shooting a few promos for the show's finale. He decided that each spare moment would be spent with Sonny. If he was cast for the movie, he would be shooting on location in Montreal, miles away where he wouldn't be able to see Sonny until the movie wrapped up at the end of the summer.

Though Chad had no work at the studiothat day, he found himself following his usual routine of getting up early to drive there. He decided he would take advantage of spending his downtime with Sonny during any free time she had - it was better than sitting home alone in a big empty house. Around the time _So Random _broke, Chad searched around the studio before he finally found her sitting in the Prop House, hovering over a laptop computer. When he approached her, she quickly rubbed her eyes and slammed it shut.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, recognizing her smile as a forced one in an instant and noticing her eyes were red and puffy.

Sonny shrugged, trying to look confused before finally bursting into tears.

Chad sunk to his knees at her side and pulled her into his arms, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Without a second thought, he flipped open the laptop to find a Sonny Munroe hate page created on Facebook. He glanced over the unflattering Photo-Shopped pictures of her and the ruthless, demeaning messages.

"Oh, Sonny…"

"I just…I don't know what I did," she said with a sob. "I try to be nice to everyone. I try to do my best on the show." Her body shook with sobs as tears streamed down her face.

He placed his hands on her shoulders as he looked directly into her eyes. "You didn't do anything, okay? The problem is with the people who made this page and not you."

"I don't know how someone who doesn't even know me can put so much energy in to hating me," she said to him as he offered her a box of tissues that were sitting on the table.

Chad sighed. Hollywood was getting to her. He knew she had tried too hard for too long to act like it wasn't. Maybe it was a good thing, he thought. Chad knew that bottling up emotions never worked in the long run. What Sonny needed was a weekend away from all the drama that was going on right now. A smile crossed his face when a thought occurred to him.

"What are you doing this weekend?" he asked her.

Looking up at him curiously as she wiped her eyes, she shrugged.

"I want to take you away for a couple of days. Just a weekend of relaxation without the media and…_fans_."

Sonny took a deep breath. "Don't you have your wrap party this weekend?"

He shrugged. "It's not important. I go every year."

"But…aren't you supposed to? You're the star; won't your cast and crew be mad if you don't show up?"

"Sonny, I want to make this weekend about us. And it may be one of the few we have together this summer. Just let me take you away from here for awhile - you need it. We can take off tomorrow morning."

A small smile played on her lips. "Where are we going?"

Chad grinned back. "It's a surprise. Just dress comfortably."

**X x**

Saturday morning, Sonny double-checked the items in her bag. Chad not telling her where they were going wasn't helping her with her packing any. She decided to bring a swim suit, just in case. She had also packed a jacket, not knowing if they were driving far enough to reach a cooler climate.

Connie Munroe smiled into her coffee cup as she watched her daughter struggle with her packing decisions.

"Can't you just spill it, Mom?"

"Nope. I promised Chad."

Connie had insisted she know where Sonny would be over the weekend before agreeing to allow her to go anywhere. Of course, once Chad had filled her in, she was sworn to secrecy about the surprise location.

Soon a knock was heard at the door and Connie answered it quickly.

"Miss Munroe…I mean Connie." Chad greeted her.

"Come in Chad. She's having a bit of a packing crisis in her room right now."

With a smile and a nod, Chad went to Sonny's room. "Umm, you might wanna go with pants on not skirts," he said from the doorway of the bedroom with a grin when he found that she was nicely folding articles of clothing for her suitcase. "And I'm pretty sure you won't need that bathing suit, unless you just wanna bring it for walking around in. That I wouldn't mind."

Sonny rolled her eyes at him. After a few more packing tips, Sonny latched shut her suitcase and Chad carried it down to his car for her.

"Good-bye Mom," she said to her mother, giving her a quick hug before she left.

"Good-bye honey, and drive safely!" her mom yelled out the door to Chad.

When Sonny reached the parking lot in front of her building, she found Chad leaning against an old beat-up pick-up truck.

She looked at his ride with doubt. "This is yours?"

He smiled. "Of course. Did you think I only drove sports cars? '92 Ford pickups can be status symbols, too."

A small smile tugged at her mouth.

"It's a rough area, and I thought we'd throw off any paparazzi this way. She's a comfortable ride though. Kind of."

**X x**

Sonny and Chad hit the freeway, driving north for a few hours until they were met with nothing but scenic pastures, forests, rolling hills, and mountains. Sonny couldn't peel her sight from the beauty of Northern California. She had been in LA so long she almost forgot what the country looked like.

"The suspense is killing me, Chad. I have to know where we're going," she said as she stared out the window at the greenery surrounding them.

"We'll be there soon enough," he said with a laugh, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. He turned off the main road, driving a few miles down a gravel one until they were following a long, white fence. Soon they were pulling into the drive of a very rustic-yet-modern-looking single level home. "We're here," he announced with a grin.

The front yard of the lavish home was decorated a few simple bushes and a cobble stone walkway that led to the front door. Large windows surrounded the grand entrance. The house was large, but not too intimidating in size. Chad parked his car in front of the attached double garage.

"This is _yours_?" she asked him

Chad smiled with a nod. "I bought it not long after I started the _Falls_. It was originally supposed to be a vacation home, but I can easily see myself settling down here after the show ends and I start my movie career."

"I can see why," Sonny replied, slowly circling around to take it all in.

"Shall we go inside?"

With a nod, Sonny followed him through the doors to the even more impressive foyer. The house had a very natural and outdoorsy feel to it, but it's contents were all modern. The great room was decorated with burgundy furniture, potted trees, a fireplace, and giant chandeliers that hung from the tall ceilings. The walls had been painted white and light green. Sonny instantly spotted a grand piano in the corner of the room.

"Chad, this is incredible. Can you play that?" she asked, motioning towards the piano.

He shook his head. "No, it's more for looks. My stable hand plays it sometimes though. He keeps it in tune. You never know when Ben Folds or someone will stop by."

"Wait, you have a _stable boy_?" Sonny asked with a smirk. "You are Mackenzie!"

"I said stable _hand_, Sonny," Chad said with a laugh. "The guy's twice my age."

"So, is he here?"

Chad shook his head. "He usually is, but I gave him the weekend off. There's no need for him to be here when I'm around to care for the horses. By the way, you might not wanna bring that up to your mom when you get back. I sorta had to tell a little white lie to get her to agree to letting you to come here for an entire weekend alone with me."

"Chad…" Sonny said with a devious smile. "This after my mom has finally learned to trust you?"

"Don't make me feel guilty," Chad turned away with a laugh. "It's not like I brought you here to take advantage of you or something."

Sonny blushed at the idea. "And you have horses, too. Can we see them?" she asked, suddenly becoming even more excited.

"Yes. And we'll do more than look at them. I thought maybe you'd wanna ride with me?"

"You ride horses, Chad?" she asked, a little surprised at the fact.

"I've been riding since I was really little. Is that so surprising?"

"Yes, actually," Sonny grinned, nodding in agreement while she followed him out the back door and down a hill towards the stable.

**X x**

"Cinnabon? Mare McCheese?" Sonny giggled as she read the names on the plaques above the horse's stalls after they had reached the stable. "Really Chad?"

He smiled, feeling a little embarrassed as he grabbed a saddle. "I was eight when I bought these horses to be fair," he defended himself. "Naming them after pastries and retro restaurant characters seemed normal at the time."

Sonny let out a small laugh and she seated herself on a bale of hay in the stable as she watched Chad saddle Cinnabon. Seeing Chad wearing worn clothing as he worked with his hands was more entertaining than she had ever imagined. Finding out this little secret made him seem all the more amazing to her.

"You can ride Cinnabon," Chad told her, motioning to the white and brown-speckled horse. "She's really sweet and easy-going. Have you ridden before?" he asked.

"Kind of. I rode a pony at the Wisconsin State Fair when I was a kid."

Chad snickered.

"Hey! That counts," she said, feeling insulted.

"Of course it does," he reassured her, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on her lips. After saddling up Mare McCheese, Chad grabbed a riding helmet and placed it on Sonny's head before tightening the strap beneath her chin. "Since you're a beginner. Don't want you getting hurt," he said as he offered her his hand and helped her up onto a stepstool to mount the horse.

Sonny looked frightened at first, holding the horn of the saddle tightly while trying to balance herself.

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "Sit up straight and point your heels down. She knows the trail and I'll be with you every step of the way."

Slowly he led her down the path that led into the woods. Sonny felt awkward at first and soon yelled Chad's name as her horse stopped walking forward, and began to back up. "What am I doing wrong?" she asked anxiously.

Chad smiled as he turned and rode back to her. "Ease up on the reigns Sonny. You need to relax."

"Okay," she said uncertainly, her horse poking along slowly behind Chad's.

"Sonny, squeeze your legs together," he yelled back to her.

"Why?"

"Just give it a try."

She heeded his advice, her horse suddenly speeding up to a gallop, which in return made Sonny let out a loud shriek. Soon her own horse was riding alongside Chad's. He gave her a warm smile and she relaxed, somewhat, next to his side.

"See? You're a natural," he said, making her smile.

After riding for awhile, Chad stopped the horses before showing Sonny to a cliff overlooking the lake. Not too far away, snow-capped mountaintops peaked over the tree line. They came upon a large fallen tree, sitting themselves on it while taking in the view.

"It's gorgeous out here, Chad. And the air is so clean."

"You haven't gotten out of LA in awhile, huh?" he asked with a laugh.

"No, and it reminds me of how much I miss Wisconsin," she replied with a thoughtful sigh.

Chad studied her, noting she was thinking awful hard about something. "You know, what's happening to you with the media doesn't reflect what kind of person you are."

Sonny nodded. "I know. But now every time I'm on stage, I'm worried about what everyone is thinking of me, what they're writing in their blog, what they're telling their friends."

He put his hand on her back. "Just do your best when you're out there - which, by the way, is pretty awesome. Not everyone is going to love you. I've went through this a few times. Remember the puppy-shoving thing?"

Sonny grinned slightly. "But, you _did _shove a puppy Chad. I didn't do anything wrong, except apparently date you. I can't say the Randoms didn't warn me though," she teased.

Chad smiled at her. "It'll all settle down in time, once they realize you're not going anywhere and get over their delusional thoughts of me whisking them away on a white stallion."

"Yes, Chad," Sonny replied brightly. "_I'm _the only one you get to whisk away on a horse."

A blush crept to his cheeks. "Sonny, I'm not being that sappy am I?"

She quickly linked her arm in his, resting her head on his shoulder. "Never."

Thunder roared through the trees as Chad looked up at the dark, foreboding skies above. "It looks like it could start raining pretty soon. I guess we should start heading back."

They rode back to the stable quickly, hoping to beat the approaching storm. As Chad led the horses back into their stalls, the sky opened up and a downpour began to rhythmically tap the roof of the stable.

"We'll have to make a run for it," Chad said as he looked outside towards the backdoor of the house, which was a good distance away.

Sonny nodded and the two made a beeline for the back entrance. In a matter of seconds, their clothing was soaked. Chad's flannel shirt clung to him as his boots caked with mud. His hair, soaked and heavy, covered his eyes and tickled his nose. He _hated _getting stuck in the rain. He was running at lightening speed when he realized Sonny was no longer at his side. Stopping, he looked back to see her standing still in the rainstorm, relishing in the feel of the clean, cool rain on her skin.

He smiled as he stalked back to her, realizing he couldn't possibly become any more soaked than he already was. He gathered Sonny into his arms before brushing her wet bangs out of her eyes and kissing her. As he leaned his forehead against hers, he could feel her warm breath tickle his face. Looking into her warm brown eyes, Chad barely noticed the storm that surrounded them. He inhaled deeply before saying, "I love you." It wasn't only a confession, but a realization at the time. It was Sonny, it was always Sonny. He couldn't imagine ever having such strong feelings for anyone else.

Her eyes widened. She was surprised at first, but then wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, never wanting to want go. Chad closed his eyes as they both relished in the close contact, not minding if they were lost in the moment forever. But lightening striking a tree a few miles away snapped them back into reality.

"We'd better get in," he said, taking her hand and leading her into the house.

The first thought that hit Chad was the huge puddle they'd leave in the middle of the floor. He quickly pulled Sonny off to the guest room at the side of the house. The guest room was the most feminine room in the house - painted and decorated in pure white from the drapes to the linens to the fresh-picked oleanders that filled the vases. The floors, luckily, were bare with no rugs to be stained by the rain water.

"I'll get us some towels," Chad told Sonny as he pulled off his flannel shirt along with the tee he wore underneath and threw them to the floor, leaving a trail of water to the bathroom as he walked. He picked up a large stack of fresh towels from the guest bathroom before stepping out of his soaked jeans, which left him in a pair of wet boxer shorts. He worked quickly, attempting to swab up the giant puddle they had left with a few towels. "I think I left your suitcase in the truck, Sonny," he called to her, his attention on cleaning up the wet mess on the floor.

"It's okay," she assured him, peeling off her own button-up shirt and jeans, now wearing only a pair of grey boy shorts and a black camisole. Glad to rid herself of the uncomfortable outer clothing, she used a towel to dry herself as much as possible. She looked to Chad, who was picking up a pile of sopping wet clothing and placing it into the hamper. Water beaded over his tan skin, his muscles flexing slightly as he worked.

"You can just borrow something-" Chad began, but paused when he stood up, his eyes meeting hers. She was standing before him, staring at him intently. Her wet hair clung to her face and neck as her slightly damp skin glistened. "…of mine," he finally finished.

It was only a second before they closed the gap between them, their lips meeting with the momentum of passion. His hands wrapped around her, slipping up her back and under the thin fabric of her top as he kissed her fervently. His lips moved to the crook of her neck before her hands wound themselves desperately into his hair.

"Chad…" she said his name breathlessly. He stared at her, his deep blue eyes twinkling as his fingers gripped the edge of the black fabric of her camisole, awaiting permission. Biting her lip, she nodded as she raised her hands above her head. The article of clothing was quickly removed, meeting the hardwood floor with a loud, wet slap.

His hands wrapped around her torso again. His lips covered hers once more and his fingers brushed against the bare skin of her back as he slowly led her to the bed without managing to break their kiss. The two toppled onto the large mattress when the back of Sonny's thighs met the edge.

Chad leaned down to pepper tiny kisses along Sonny's collarbone before his thumbs glided down the smooth skin of her hips, reaching for the article of clothing she still wore.

"Chad," she broke their kiss and said his name warningly, pushing him away from her a bit.

His guilty eyes quickly met hers, realizing maybe he had misinterpreted her intentions. "Sonny, I'm sorry. I understand if you're not ready-"

"No," she assured him. "I just wanted to make sure you had protection before this went any further," she whispered.

"Oh, right. Of course," he replied, relieved. He practically tripped over his own feet heading into the bathroom, returning with a small metallic package before his lips returned to her jawline.

"Chad?"

"Mmm hmm?" muttered against her ivory skin.

"I love you too."

**X x**

**(A/N 2: I hope the T rating is still appropriate for this. I asked around for advice and everyone seemed to think it as fine, considering it stopped before the "deed" was done and nothing really nasty or descriptive happened. If people feel strongly otherwise, I might change it. I really doesn't feel that "Mature" to me. **

**I know they have a different name for Facebook on SWAC, I just couldn't remember what it was.**

**My updating has been a bit slower than usual lately. I'm trying to wrap this up before Mid-August when I start classes. I still have the motivation to write, so don't worry.)**


	9. Everything is Broken

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

**"Everything is Broken"**

Chad awoke the next morning to sunshine pouring through the sheer curtains of the guest room. A dark silhouette stood in front of him as a pair of hands tugged eagerly at his own. He groaned, shielding his eyes with his free hand from the bright sunlight which tormented them before quickly glancing at the alarm clock next to the bed.

"Sonny, it's 7:30," he whined.

"Yes, and we have to leave this afternoon. There's 120 acres to explore before then!" the brunette exclaimed excitedly.

He smiled at the girl, who was currently wearing one of his old shirts she had obviously found somewhere in the house. The shirt hit her mid thigh, giving him a nice view of her shapely legs. Her messy curls draped over her shoulders and she was without a stitch of makeup, letting her natural beauty show through. Chad found it hard to believe that the sweet, gorgeous girl who stood before him was his. Not being able to resist the urge to hold her in his arms for another moment, he pulled her back into the bed with him, wrapping his arms tightly around her frame.

"Five minutes, okay?" he asked, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

She huffed a sigh, her back tucked into his chest. "This is such a waste of time."

"Relax," he said as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "This place isn't going anywhere. We can always come back again."

She smiled at that thought, playing with Chad's fingers which were entwined in hers. "It's too bad we won't have much time before you start working on your other projects this summer. I'm going to miss you so much."

"Mmm," he hummed against her ear in agreement. "I know. But this is going to be an important summer for me. Did you know next season could be our last? I need to secure my movie career this summer so that next summer I'm not an out-of-work actor."

She quickly rolled over to meet Chad's gaze with sad eyes. "No one ever mentioned that Mackenzie Falls was ending."

"It's not a sure thing yet. We sorta wanna end the show while we're still on top. I've been doing it for a long time now," he explained. "You can only go into a coma or find out your dating a distant relative so many times," he joked.

"But…we won't be working at the same studio anymore," Sonny realized.

"Yeah, but I'll still use every excuse to stop by," Chad assured her. "Especially to annoy the other Randoms."

"Right, I wouldn't expect you to give that up," she teased.

"Hey, how about I make you breakfast first?" asked Chad, finally sitting up on his elbows. "And then we can do all the exploring you want."

Sonny nodded in agreement, watching as Chad exited the bed and pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt before heading to the kitchen. "So what are you in the mood for? Pancakes or sausage and eggs?"

"Mmm, how about both?" she asked him with pleading eyes.

Chad laughed. "I'm glad to see my girl has an appetite."

"Well, we did skip dinner last night," she pointed out.

"Right, okay. Why don't you take a look around the house while I cook? I never did give you the grand tour."

"Kay," she said with a smile, practically skipping away, leaving Chad to prepare the breakfast feast alone.

Chad retrieved the griddle from the cabinet where he knew it was stored, mixing up some pancake batter and pouring small pancakes onto it before cracking open a few eggs to cook as well. "How do you take your eggs, Sonny?" he called out loudly.

"Poached!" he heard her shout from the other room, followed with a laugh.

"Scrambled it is then," he replied with a smile.

Fifteen minutes later, Chad was serving the food up on plates when he heard the soft sound of piano music filling the house. He smiled at the unrecognizable tune before joining Sonny in the great room. "That's beautiful. Did you write it?"

Sonny nodded, her fingers gracing the keys as she concentrated on her playing.

"It's amazing."

Sonny beamed as she turned to him. "Thanks. I can't believe you own such a beautiful piano and you can't play it."

He shrugged. "Well, I took lessons for a bit. I don't even think I could find Middle C on there anymore."

"It's right here, Chad." Her finger pressed down on the key as he grinned at her. "Maybe next time you could bring that guitar you have in your dressing room though. You seem to play it pretty well."

"Sounds like a plan. Foods done, are you ready to eat?"

With an eager nod she followed him to the kitchen, digging hungrily into her food.

"You're amazing, Chad," she told him with a grin. "Absolutely amazing."

"I could say the same about you, Sonny," he said with a chuckle.

Five pancakes, one hike through the woods, and six hours later the couple were gathering their things to leave. The drive home was a long one, and Chad had promised Sonny's mother to have her home by dinnertime. He didn't want to disappoint her, especially considering what had happened that weekend. Not that he regretted their night together, but he was starting to wonder if they had begun exploring the intimate aspect of their relationship too early. They had, after all, barely been together for three months now. Shorter than that if Chad was to count the first few weeks he had been "faking" it. Though he had not wasted anytime with any of his previous girlfriends when it came to the subject of sleeping together, Chad wanted to make sure Sonny was completely ready for it. A romantic weekend alone and the declaration of love had made the moment a little more spontaneous than he would've liked, but special nonetheless.

The last hour of the trip, Sonny fell asleep in the passenger seat of Chad's pickup. He stole a few glances her way, staring at the exhausted dark-haired girl cuddled in the corner of the cab, her arms folded over her chest. He quickly turned down the radio, not wanting to wake her. He knew she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before, and wasn't sure how early she had woken up that morning. Knowing Sonny, it was probably the crack of dawn.

When Chad finally pulled his truck up in front of her apartment, he nudged her slightly. "Wake up, sweetie." Sonny stirred a little before opening her eyes.

"We're here," he told her with a grin and she smiled back at him.

"I really didn't want this weekend to end," Sonny said with a yawn.

"Me neither," he agreed with a sigh. "But I'll make sure we have a lot more like it."

Sonny glanced up to her lit-up apartment, then looked to Chad. "Stay for dinner?"

"Sure," he said with a smile. Sonny went to open the door of his truck, but Chad leaned forward and caught her arm. "One thing first," he said, leaning forward and pulling her into a long, sensuous kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said as she hugged him.

Chad carried Sonny's suitcase up for her, a smile plastered on his face.

**X x**

"Okay, spill it Sonny. Something happened this weekend."

Chad had driven Sonny to work that Monday morning, seeing as he had to do his Mac Falls promos and had suddenly found himself inseparable from her. Sonny Munroe had him wrapped around her little finger, that he was certain of. Sonny had just entered her dressing room when Tawni instantly acknowledged the girl's discernable smile.

"Chad took me to his ranch up north for the weekend. It was…amazing."

Tawni's mouth went agape. "You slept with Chad!" she practically shouted.

Sonny's eyes widened. "Shh," she quickly shushed Tawni. "I never said that!"

"You didn't have to. The look on your face was telling enough," Tawni replied with a knowing grin. "No girl comes home from a farm that happy. So, how was your first time?"

Sonny smiled bashfully. "It was really sweet. We were stuck in this huge rainstorm and out of the blue, he says he loves me. We went inside to get changed, and it just sort of happened."

"Sonny," Tawni said dangerously, leaning forward. "You did make him wear a-"

"Of course I did!" Sonny quickly replied, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I'm not that stupid!"

Tawni gave her a sigh of relief. "So he told you he loved you? What did you say?"

"Nothing at first," Sonny replied as Tawni scoffed. "I was caught off guard. But after we went inside, I realized that I've always sorta loved him. It was the most amazing weekend ever."

Tawni shook her head at the girl. "In love with Chad Dylan Cooper. What are you going to do with you?"

Sonny laughed as she reached for the laptop on Tawni's desk. "I'm going to check out the Tween Weekly site and see how Chad's wrap party went."

Tawni nodded. "See you at lunch. If you're not too busy shoving your tongue down Cooper's throat, that is."

Sonny rolled her eyes, bringing up the website as Tawni closed the door behind her. Sure enough, there were plenty of pictures and an article on the Mackenzie Falls wrap party. As she scrolled down the newly-uploaded stories, one caught her eye:

Channy is Fake: Andrew Holloway Dishes on Chad Dylan Coopers Biggest Secrets

A frown etched Sonny's face as she began to read the article.

Andy Holloway, former agent of Chad Dylan Cooper, reveals that the Young Hollywood power couple was formed to help Cooper land the part in the upcoming Nicolas Sparks movie…

The article went on to explain the agreement between Chad and his agent and the fact that they were using Flitter to help the paparazzi follow them. Sonny's heart began to beat quickly as her eyes stung with tears. Without a second thought, she brought up Chad's Flitter page, relieved to see he hadn't posted much over the past several weeks. Maybe the story was phony, she thought to herself. But as she scrolled back through older posts, she realized that he had not only posted the location of their beach date, but also of several dates they had had after that. Tears spilt freely down her cheeks when she came across the post he had left the day he took her to The Moon Room. The swarm of paparazzi that night had been planned by the boy who was supposedly head-over-heels for her.

Sonny slammed the laptop shut, burying her face in her hands. Chad never loved her, she realized. It was all an act to gain publicity to further his career.

**X x**

Pleased with his season finale promos and a very productive day, Chad set out to Stage 3 to see if Sonny was ready to join him for lunch; but when he knocked on the door, there was no answer. He slowly opened it, creeping through the door and wondering if she had already left without him. "Sonny?" he asked before peeking inside.

He found her hunched over her desk, her arms wrapped around herself. If it wasn't summertime in Los Angeles and currently 98 degrees outside, he would've thought she was freezing, judging by her current posture.

"I came to see if you were ready to go," he said with a frown. "Are you okay?"

She slowly spun her chair around to face him, her cheeks streaked with mascara from the tears she had been crying all morning. His heart nearly broke at the sight of her looking like her entire world had just been shattered.

"Did you ask me out for publicity?" Chad almost thought he'd heard her wrong for a minute. Not knowing how to answer her question, he stared at her blankly. "Well," she asked, "Did you?"

"Sonny, I-"

"Just tell me the truth, Chad. You owe me that much," she said with a sob as daggers pierced Chad's heart.

He took a deep breath. "Yes, but-"

"So, everything that's happened over the past few months - all of the pain I went through - was because you wanted a to get your stupid movie deal?" she asked, sadness turning to rage as she stood from her chair, her small hands balled into fists.

"Sonny," he started to reason with her. "I know it sounds horrible, but it isn't what you think."

"No, Chad. It is, because you are exactly the person I always thought you were. You are a spoiled brat who wants everything and does anything to get it." As the words left her mouth she started to tremble. "I never thought you'd hurt me like this, even when we weren't exactly friends. You used me, Chad."

"I'm sorry-"

She quickly shook her head. "I lost my virginity to you Chad! How could you do this to me?" Unable to stand any longer, she collapsed into the chair behind her. "It was one of the most important moments of my life, and you took advantage of it!"

He felt helpless. He hated seeing her this way and he just wanted to hug her like he always did when she was upset. He wanted assure her that it would all be okay. But as Chad stepped forward, reaching out to her, she quickly smacked his hands away. "D-don't touch me!"

Now he could feel tears threatening his own eyes. "Please, Sonny. I love you."

His words, seeming insincere to her, only angered her more. "Shut up Chad" she cried, covering her ears from the obvious lie. "Just shut up! You lied to me then, and you're lying to me now!"

"No," he assured her as he moved toward her again, but Sonny stood from her seat, pushing against him with all her might. "Leave now!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, giving him a hard shove. "Just leave already!"

Soon Tawni was busting into the room with Nico and Grady at her heels. "Sonny, what on Earth is going on?" She looked quizzically from a very upset Sonny to a guilty-looking Chad. Sonny had started crying uncontrollably and without a second thought, Tawni wrapped her arms around the distressed girl as she tried her best to comfort her. "J-just make him leave! Please, just make him go now."

"Sonny, we just need to talk about this," Chad told her softly. Nico quickly positioned himself in front of the delirious girl, staring Chad down coldly. "She said to go man," he warned him, "So just get out, or we'll make you leave."

Grady nodded his head in agreement, motioning toward the door. Chad glanced at Sonny, her face buried in Tawni's shoulder as she sobbed, before realizing he was outnumbered.

**X x**

Chad drove home that day in a complete daze. He wasn't even sure what had happened; it seemed so surreal. Everything had been perfect that morning when they had driven to work together. Something had happened after that. Whatever it was, Sonny had figured out everything. If she hadn't, he would be holding her right now, he realized. If he had never lied to her in the first place, none of this would ever have happened. It was all his fault. He was the sole reason the girl he loved was crying her eyes out, feeling as if everything they had shared together was a lie.

Chad would receive a call from the casting director that night, congratulating him on the fact he had been cast as the movie's lead role. He should've been ecstatic, but instead he collapsed into his bed in tears, realizing he had just lost the one person he loved more than anyone or anything else in the world.

**X x**


	10. Getting Through

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Getting Through"**

Sonny awoke the next morning with an excruciating headache from having cried herself to sleep the night before. The five hours she spent sleeping and not thinking about Chad Dylan Cooper and the fact that he had broken her heart had been the most peaceful she'd had over the past couple of days. Knowing she still would not be able face her cast mates or return to the studio just yet, Sonny gave Marshall a quick call explaining that she still wasn't feeling well.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kiddo. I just hope you're feeling better by tomorrow. We're rehearsing for the season finale and I'd hate to not have you there."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Marshall," she replied weakly.

"Just rest and feel better, Sonny. We'll work it out if we have to," he assured her.

Two hours later, her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she could see it was Tawni.

"Sonny, I know you're dealing with your problems with Pooper right now, but it's starting to affect the show!" her blonde co-star exclaimed into the phone. "We've had these sketches written for weeks now. If we have to do a rewrite to take you out of them, it's going to change the entire show."

"I can't Tawni…I just can't," she said softly into the phone. "I thought I could trust _him_," she went on, finding herself incapable of saying Chad's name, "and to find out that from the beginning that it was all just a publicity stunt... I just went through one of the darkest times of my life because of him_._ I don't know if I can do this anymore."

"Do _what_?" Tawni asked, becoming slightly annoyed.

Sonny sighed. "This whole scene. Hollywood. Everyone puts on a fake act to make themselves look like the person everyone wants them to be, even if it means stepping over someone else in the process. Besides, everyone hates me for dating Chad anyway."

"Not _everyone_, Sonny. Just _Mackenzie Falls_ fans. Who needs them anyway? Besides, you'll be in their good graces again now that you've dumped that loser."

"I've been talking to my Mom about this," Sonny went on, suddenly becoming very emotional as she choked back a sob. "I asked her about moving back to Wisconsin. She told me that I need to think about it, but right now she's in a position to transfer back to her old job. I think I'm going to go, Tawni."

There was a short silence over the phone.

"Sonny, I know you're upset, but you're not thinking this through," Tawni said, calmly. "I know I should've told this to you months ago, but you were made for this show and we can't do it without you. Please tell me you'll reconsider this."

"I don't know," Sonny stated, uncertainly. "It just doesn't feel right anymore. Everything has changed."

"Please Sonny, can you just come to rehearsals tomorrow? Give the show one last chance before you say good-bye forever. Do it for us," Tawni pleaded.

Sonny _did _love all of her cast mates, and she certainly would be letting them down if she didn't show up to do the season finale. After all, what was one more show?

She sighed. "Okay."

Tawni smiled. "Great. See you tomorrow!"

**X x**

He'd called her.

He'd texted her.

He'd tried to visit her at home.

But after countless tries, Chad's attempt at trying to reach Sonny over the past two days had been in vain. She'd blocked his number (both of them) and had him blacklisted at her apartment building. So that's how he'd ended up at the studio over his summer break, trying to track the girl down. After discovering the Randoms we're going over some sketches on the soundstage, he considered interrupting them to talk to her, but thought better of it. Disrupting their silly little show probably wouldn't have put him on better terms with Sonny.

So he'd retreated to the empty and dark soundstage of _Mackenzie Falls, _draped over the same vanity where his makeup was applied before tapings. He sighed as he rested his chin on the palms of his hands, his elbows propped up on the table as he looked at the reflection of his sorry self. He had talent no doubt - a talent for screwing things up.

Soon the obnoxious clickity-clack sound of a someone quickly approaching him in a pair of heels brought him out of his pity party: Tawni Hart. She looked pissed, and he could only assume she'd noticed his car in the lot that morning and decided to seek her revenge.

"You have a lot of nerve, Cooper!" Tawni said as she approached him in a rage and grabbed his chair, spinning him around to face her. "Sonny is a _nice _girl. Even though you've been a complete ass to her since she got here, she has always liked you. Matter of fact, she's the only person in this studio who can even _stand _you."

He stared at her, open mouthed and shocked, wondering when the hitting was going to begin and whether or not he'd be able to even defend himself from a fuming Tawni.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to her?" she asked him, stabbing at his chest with her index finger. "You've made her feel like she's less than nothing - something for you to use and then throw away. And to think while you were _using _her for your precious publicity stunt, that you actually had the audacity to _sleep _with her? You. Are. Disgusting," she told him, shoving him back into his chair to prove her point.

Tawni then spun on her heel to leave.

"W-wait," Chad called after her, his voice breaking and his body shrunk down in his chair.

She quickly turned to glare at him. "What? I still haven't gotten through to you, Cooper?"

"No, I need to explain something to you, Tawni. Something Sonny wouldn't even give me a chance to explain the other day," he said, his voice unusually soft.

Tawni scowled at him, waiting for him to speak. "Well?" she asked him, impatiently.

"Okay," he began. "I asked Sonny out three months ago to the _Tridark _premiere when my agent told me I needed a steady girlfriend to help fix my player image. I used Flitter so I knew the paparazzi would follow us." Chad hung his head at this confession. "It wasn't supposed to go as far as it did. Being with Sonny, I just realized how much I actually enjoyed her company. I stopped posting on Flitter two months ago. Our relationship started out as a fake one, but after the first couple of weeks, it wasn't fake to me anymore. When I told her I loved her, I wasn't lying. Despite what you think, I didn't use her for sex. I admit it probably shouldn't have happened the way it did, but it meant something to me too."

Tawni, silenced by his words, slowly began to process the information. "Sonny's planning on moving back to Wisconsin."

"What?" he asked in disbelief, rising from his chair.

"The paparazzi, the fake dating - it has convinced her that Hollywood is evil and that she doesn't belong here. I could care less whether or not she actually takes you back, but you _need _to talk her out of the biggest mistake of her life, Chad."

He sighed. "I've tried, Tawni. She doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Okay," Tawni said thoughtfully. "I can help get her to talk to you, but if I find out that you're lying about anything you just told me-"

"I'm not, Tawni," he said, sincerely and a bit irritated. "I've already been cast for the stupid movie, why would I need to keep lying to her? I just want her to know that what happened was real…and that…I love her," he said, looking up sadly.

Tawni's frown faded, her expression softening. "Okay, she promised she'd be at work tomorrow," she began. "While we're at lunch, make sure you're waiting in our dressing room. And make it good, Cooper. If she quits the show, I'm personally blaming you."

**X x**

Sonny walked the halls of Condor Studios for the first time in two days, feeling a bit weird about how empty the entire place was. Many of the shows were already on summer hiatus, leaving most of the rooms and hallways dark and undisturbed.

She gave a sigh of relief when she found that Stage 3 was just a bright and cheery as it'd always been, save the usual hustle and bustle of the crew from the neighboring shows walking the hallways.

"Oh, hey Sonny," Nico said when she entered the prop house. He greeted her with a warm smile before pulling the girl into a hug. "Feeling better, I hope?"

She nodded. "Thanks Nico," she said before hugging Grady and Zora as well.

Marshall quickly joined his cast in the prop house, clapping his hands together. "Well kids, this is going to be an amazing show. I can feel it already!" he said excitedly. "Now let's get those lines memorized for tomorrow night's live taping!"

After a long morning of rehearsing lines for the new sketches, the group broke for lunch.

"You were awesome, Sonny," Grady said, encouragingly, as Nico nodded in agreement.

"You really brought your A game," Zora assured her, giving Sonny a light, playful punch in the arm.

Tawni, remembering her deal with Chad, quickly pulled Sonny aside. "Hey guys, we're gonna go talk in our dressing room really quick," she told the boys and Zora as she pulled Sonny along with her. "We'll catch up with you in a few." They nodded before walking towards the commissary.

"What is it, Tawni?" Sonny asked her as they walked towards their dressing room. "If it's about Wisconsin, I-"

Tawni shook her head. "Okay, I don't want you to hate me for this," she said to Sonny as they stood outside the door of their dressing room, "but I told Chad you would hear him out today."

Sonny's eyes widened. "He's in there now?"

"Yes, Sonny. And I think you just need to give him a chance."

"No," Sonny said as she pulled away. "Sometimes there are no second chances."

Tawni quickly grabbed her co-stars arm before she could get away. "Please, Sonny. I honestly wouldn't make you talk to him if I didn't think he had something worthy of hearing."

Sonny stood her ground, shaking her head in disapproval.

"I think once you talk to him, you might have second thoughts about leaving," Tawni attempted to convince her.

"I can't."

"Please, Sonny. For the Randoms," Tawni begged her with a sad pout.

Sonny took a deep breath. "I really wish you'd stop doing that."

Tawni smiled as she opened the door, practically shoving the girl inside. "I'll be out here when you're done," she called.

Sonny stumbled through the doorway, suddenly finding herself standing directly in front of Chad, who was sitting on the gold couch in the middle of the room. There was an awkward silence as they stared at each other momentarily. He looked up at her, offering her a small smile.

"Hey," he began.

"Hey."

"Do you wanna?" he asked, motioning to the empty spot beside him.

She frowned at him, shaking her head. "No, I'm good."

"I've really missed you-"

Sonny sighed, looking angry. "Can we just get on with this, Chad?"

"Okay, here it goes," he took a deep breath. "Three months ago Andrew Holloway - he's my agent - I mean _was _my agent-" Chad began nervously.

Sonny sighed.

"Okay, anyways. Three months ago I was turned down for a really awesome part in a movie I'd tried out for. Andy went on and on about how I had this bad image because I "use girls" and that's why I didn't get the part," he said, using air quotations.

"You?" Sonny asked sarcastically, placing her hand on her chest while trying to appear surprised.

Chad looked down. "He told me that I needed to find a girl to date. He specifically mentioned you. So that's when I asked you to go to the premiere with me. I used Flitter to drop hints to the press. I had a bad feeling about it, but he had me convinced that if I didn't get the movie part, I'd be this washed-up child actor. I was scared. Acting is all I've ever known." Chad shuffled his feet, finding it impossible to look at Sonny as he spoke. "But then after the night at the restaurant, when you were hurt, I told him I wouldn't do it anymore. That was the last time I ever posted on Flitter or tried to get the press to follow us. I fired Andy when he told me I should dump you."

"So after that you just kept me around for, what? Making out? Sleeping together?" she asked bitterly.

"No, Sonny. I stayed with you because I liked you. I didn't tell you the truth because I was afraid of losing you. I took you away from Hollywood for the weekend because I love you." He stood up, stepping forward and cupping her chin in his palm, causing Sonny to flinch at his touch. "I love you," he told her, emphasizing every word as he stared into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, and I never meant to hurt you, Sonny."

She gazed back at him, mesmerized for a few seconds before finally swatting his hand away.

"So," she said, the corners of her mouth turning down in a scowl. "You claim you fell in love with me during all of this? You say that you never meant to hurt me, but apparently playing with my feelings to benefit yourself isn't supposed to be hurtful?" she asked him, her eyes burning with anger.

Chad stared back, tongue tied.

"Maybe you had that feeling of guilt for a good reason, Chad. You may have "fell in love" while you were with me," Sonny said awkwardly, "but that doesn't change the fact that you used me in the first place, that you still lied to me along the way. Our relationship was a lie."

Chad's face fell at the past tense reference to their relationship. "Give me a chance, Sonny. You know everything now, we can start over," he pleaded.

Sonny took a deep breath in an effort to keep her composure as she started to become upset. "Some things can't be forgiven. The worst part is that I-I don't think I can trust you." Her voice wavered as she spoke, her eyes beginning to tear. Sonny quickly swept away a teardrop that had fallen to her cheek, desperately willing herself not to cry. "Everything has always been about you, Chad. Your ego. Your public image. Your career."

"God, Sonny," He said, becoming frustrated as he ran his hands through his hair. "I'm standing here, pouring my heart out to you. I love you so much that it's physically painful to be without you. What more can I do other than tell you the truth and beg you to forgive me?"

Sonny shook her head at him, unable to contain her tears any longer "Nothing," she replied with a quiet sob. "There's nothing you can do," she answered him, pointing to the door, directing him to leave.

Chad swallowed hard, trying to force back his own tears, which threatened to fall. "Just one thing before I go, Sonny. Don't let this one stupid thing I did destroy your life. Despite what you think, you belong here. Being sweet and thoughtful and kind may be a rarity in Hollywood, but it's no reason to give up your entire career. Your fans love you for all of those reasons. _I _love you for those reasons."

Sonny looked away, unable to decipher whatever she was feeling at the moment.

Chad's shoulders slumped, before giving her one last look. Very apprehensively, he turned and left.

**X x**

**A/N: Just so you know, this fic hasn't ended. Someone had posted on the last chapter that they didn't like the ending; but unfortunately, they were an anonymous reviewer so I couldn't PM them to let them know that it hadn't. Anyways, I hope they realize there's more to it. **


	11. Helplessly Hoping

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**Helplessly Hoping"**

Chad sat on the edge of his bed that evening, contemplating what on Earth he was supposed to do next.

It really did seem that all hope was lost.

He should've listened to his conscience when it was screaming at him. He knew from the get-go that what he was doing was wrong, but he still went through with it. Sonny had every right in the world to still be pissed at him, but now Chad was stressed as to what to do about it. He had done everything imaginable to get her to take him back, and nothing seemed to work. On top of that, there was the new anxiety of the fact that he may have even destroyed her career in the process of attempting to further his own.

He was a selfish bastard. No doubt about that.

He sighed as he fell back on his bed. He could just let her go, let her find a better life with someone honest. Whoever it was surely wouldn't be able to love her as much as he did. But did she love _him _anymore? The look on her face when he'd left her dressing room was undistinguishable - she was fighting whatever feeling she was having at the time. Maybe that was something.

He closed his eyes, concentrating only on the sound of the fan whirling above him. The door to his bedroom creaking open brought him out of his stage of thoughtlessness. He tilted his head slightly, preparing to ask his mother to leave him alone for the thousandth time that day, but his eyes met someone else's.

"Portlyn? What are you doing here?"

She gave him a small grin, holding up the latest copy of _Tween Weekly._

"Just making sure you're alright. I can't believe your own agent sold you out like that. I doubt he'll ever work for anyone else after this," she said, settling herself down next to him onto the mattress. "Some of this stuff is pretty personal. I can't even imagine the toll this has all taken on your huge ego," she added with a laugh.

He grunted. "My ego isn't what I'm worried about."

"I take it Sonny is angry with you about it?"

Chad closed his eyes as he nodded his head, willing the pain to go away.

"That bad, huh?" she asked him, leaning back her hands.

"Just a couple of days before," he began to say, swallowing hard when he became a bit misty-eyed, "I told her that I loved her."

"Holy crap, Chad!"

"I know," he said with a sigh.

"I knew you liked her, but I had no idea you _loved _her," Portlyn said before frowning. "Wait, you weren't lying to her were you?" she asked him, but the look on his face gave her her answer. "Wow. Just, wow."

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I apologized and tried to explain it to her, but she still hates me." He said, his voice beginning to quiver as he spoke. "She told me that there just isn't any way for her to forgive me or trust me anymore."

Portlyn crossed her arms, thinking hard for a minute. "I don't know, Chad. This is a tough situation you've gotten yourself into. If she had any clue what this movie deal is doing for you, I'm sure she would understand-"

"The movie deal is no excuse for what I did to her," he quickly said. "True I needed it, but I went about it the wrong way. _Obviously_," he said, feeling an overwhelming sense of disgust for himself.

A few minutes passed by while the teenagers sat in silence. Chad lie back in his bed, arms crossed behind his head as Portlyn chipped away at the black polish which covered her nails.

Suddenly Portlyn sat up and snapped her fingers. "I've got it. What Sonny needs is a grand gesture. Something that proves how much you love her. Like when van Gogh cut off his ear, then gave it to that lady."

"Umm, I think 'that lady' was a prostitute," he told her, rolling his eyes at the idea, "And it wasn't exactly an act of love so much as one of insanity. Besides, there's no way I'm cutting of any body parts. Sonny would have me committed to the nearest insane asylum."

Portlyn sighed. "Well, it was just a thought…"

"But I do have to do something," he agreed. "Maybe," he said softly, "Maybe I should pass on the movie."

It had crossed his mind earlier, but his stomach churned at the very thought of it.

Portlyn narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Are you _nuts_? I know you love her, but this is taking it a bit far. Is she really worth giving up your movie career for?"

Chad sat up before looking down at his lap.

"Chad, think of all the opportunities that are going to open up for you," Portlyn reminded him. "What exactly do you have to fall back on? You're a C average student at best."

Chad frowned. She sort of had a point with that, but she was beginning to sound like Andy and it unnerved him. "But…Sonny is the most important person in my life. I-I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to go on without her in it. Losing her forever would hurt so much more than giving up this movie."

Portlyn shook her head in disagreement. "You know that there's no promise she'll take you back," she argued. "You could lose your movie and Sonny. Then you'd have _nothing._"

"Maybe it's a chance worth taking," he replied with a shrug. "Even if it's just proved to her that the movie means nothing to me if she's not in my life, it will be worth it," he said. "The only reason I _have _this stupid movie deal is because of her. As much as I want this…I don't think I can even do it anymore. This whole thing has basically ruined my life."

Portlyn rolled her eyes. "Well, it all sounds like a really dumb idea. When you're living in a cardboard box on the beach, don't say I didn't warn you.

Chad shook his head at the girl. "Gee Portlyn, you're such a supportive friend…"

**X x**

Quitting _So Random _was the hardest thing Sonny Munroe ever had to do. It was like moving away from Wisconsin - she felt like she was leaving her whole family behind by parting the show.

Marshall sat behind his desk, looking confused when she had told him her decision. He said he understood, but Sonny could see it in his eyes that he didn't. Things had been going so well for her and _So Random_. Sonny was writing sketches and getting rave reviews for her work on the show. Everything had been hunky-dory up until that day.

"If this is what you want, Sonny, then we'll support your decision," Marshall had offered. "You can announce your departure at the end of the show tonight.

Tawni had begged her to wait until the end of the summer to make her final decision, but it seemed nothing was going to change. Chad would still be Chad, and there was no way he could ever take back what he'd done to her.

So there she stood in the Prop House, bidding farewell to her cast mates before what would be their very final show together. There were tears. Nico and Grady hugged her, telling her how much they would miss her once she left.

Tawni was pissed, but she managed to muster up a selfless hug for Sonny before the show began. "It won't be the same without you," her blonde cast mate admitted softly in her ear before they went on.

Zora, being the youngest, appeared to take the news the hardest. "You can't go Sonny," the young girl said as she wrapped her arms around the older girl's legs and pinned her feet to the floor by sitting on top of them. "Who'll help me find spiders to put in Tawni's lip stick case?"

"That was you?" Tawni asked with a frown.

"Okay guys," Sonny said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She was certain she had cried more in the past week than in her entire life. "No more crying! We're going on in five, and my mascara is running like crazy."

"Yeah," Tawni agreed, "have some respect for a girl's makeup."

Grady, Nico, and Zora took the stage first for a Dolphin Boy sketch. Tawni sat in the director's chair at the side of the stage, dressed in her Check It Out Girl Hawaiian-print shirt and going through an issue of _Entertainment Weekly_ while rubbing perfume samples on herself and catching up on the newest trendy handbags. As she waited for the sketch to finish and the stage to be changed around for the next one, she flipped through a few pages about Bradgelina and teen moms before a photo of Chad caught her eye.

"Oh my God, Sonny. You need to see this."

Sonny was fixing the visor that was part of her costume when Tawni demanded her attention. She stood over Tawni's shoulder as she read the headline of the article: _Chad Dylan Cooper Passes on Nicholas Sparks Movie. _"That can't be, this has got to be a misprint or something," Sonny said with wide eyes. "There is no way he'd give up that part."

"Is not a misprint Sonny, there's a three page article on it."

"Why would he do this?" Sonny asked uncertainly. It didn't make sense. The stupid movie was almost all he could talk about for the past three months. He wouldn't have given up a role like that for anything.

Tawni rolled her eyes. "He did it for you, dummy."

Sonny's heart thumped wildly in her chest. "No, no that's not right. It doesn't make any sense…"

"Uh, he obviously wants you back, Sonny. I don't think you know what he's just done for you," Tawni said, still looking a bit shocked herself. "The budget for this movie is _huge. _It's the only thing everyone in Hollywood can talk about right now. A role like this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a actor as terrible as Chad."

Sonny ripped the magazine from Tawni's hands as she started to read.

"Alright girls, your sketch is up next," Marshall interrupted. "Look alive."

Sonny took to the stage in a daze. Chad had given up the movie, and essentially his one-way ticket to fame and fortune, for her? It wasn't something the real Chad would do, was it?

She had _thought _she knew Chad before they started dating. He was a self-centered, egotistical jerk who had no problem with using someone else to his advantage. The time he'd used her publicity to make himself look good while simultaneously ruining her reputation came to mind.

Then there was the Chad she had learned to love while they were dating. He was caring, supportive, and would easily give up a weekend of glitzy Hollywood parties to spend the day in with her when she was feeling down.

The entire week she was being torn between which one of the Chads was real: The Chad who stole her ice cream they day they'd met or the one who'd danced with her at the fake prom.

The sound of Tawni clearing her throat onstage reminded Sonny that she was supposed to be acting and had lines to say. The rest of the sketch went by without another hitch and Sonny quickly pulled Tawni aside backstage while the musical act performed.

"What does this mean?" she asked Tawni. "This is huge. I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to react to this."

The girl shrugged. "What do you think it means? Do you still love him?"

"I don't know," Sonny replied, confused. "I'm really pissed off at him right now."

Tawni smiled. "I know you're pissed but _do you love him?_"

"I guess I kinda _want _to forgive him, I just don't know if I should," Sonny admitted. "I mean, deep down I think I _do _still love him, but at the same time I hate him so much for what he did. I guess it all comes down to the fact that I don't know if I can trust him not to break my heart again. This is Chad, after all." She buried her face in her hands, grunting with frustration. "I am so confused!"

The band on stage began to wrap up their song, and the Randoms took it as their cue to say goodnight.

"Alright, we're closing the show now, so you'll have to figure it out later," Tawni said, pulling her back to the stage.

Marshall took the stage with a microphone in hand. "Thanks for watching _So Random _this season. We'll be back next season with all new sketches and musical guests. And before we say goodnight," he said, smiling at Sonny, "our own Sonny Munroe would like to make a very important announcement."

Tawni gave Sonny a questionable glance as she smiled and accepted the microphone. Nervousness washing over her body, Sonny's legs began to feel unsteady as she stared out into the audience of people who had shown up to support her, some holding signs that said 'Sonny' and others chanting her name. A smile graced her lips and her eyes scanned over her fans, young and old, when one member of the audience caught her eye.

He was standing at the very top of the bleacher seating, his hands in his pockets as he offered her the biggest smile he could muster. The lighting caught his blonde hair and made his blue eyes twinkle. Her gaze fixed on him, and she suddenly found herself incapable of forming words.

A slight nudge from Tawni encouraged her to finally say something to the audience, who were impatiently waiting.

"I-I just wanted to say," she began, taking a deep breathe. She stared up at Chad, who's smile faded as he realized the announcement she was about to make. "I just wanted…to…wish everyone a great summer!" she exclaimed, quickly pushing the microphone back into Marshall's hands.

The crowd cheered as the ending music played.

Tawni quickly grabbed Sonny by her shoulders before she had the chance to bolt backstage. "Does this mean you're staying?" she asked hopefully.

Sonny nodded, grinning widely as Tawni let out a loud squeal and the rest of the Randoms surrounded her in a group hug.

"You know I love you guys," she mumbled, still squished between her cast mates. "But there's something I have to do right now."

They released their grasp on her, and Sonny quickly smoothed the wrinkles out of her clothing while she darted backstage. The building was overcrowded, and she decided to wait for the audience to clear out before attempting to find him. When Sonny finally reached the top of the stairs, there he was, sitting in the middle of the very last row of the audience. He stood as she approached him.

"So, you're staying?" Chad asked.

She nodded.

"That's good," he said, offering her a smile.

"Chad, you gave up your movie. Why?"

He stuck his hands back into the pockets of his leather jacket, lowering his eyes and kicking at something imaginary on the floor. "It didn't feel right."

"How could that be?" she ask him curiously. "You've been preparing for this role for weeks now. You even read the book twice. I thought you wanted this more than anything."

He finally looked up, offering her a lopsided grin. "I did, too. I thought if I landed this role, my life would be made. But after this week, I guess I came to a realization."

"What's that?" she asked him curiously.

He sighed softly. "That my career isn't the most important thing in my life. That no matter how hard I try to justify it, I can't do the wrong thing to get what I want," he said. "I'm sorry Sonny. I was so dead set on becoming this famous movie star, I failed to see what I already had right in front of me. I'd gladly be busing tables when I'm 30 than to ever have done something hurt you."

Sonny tried her best not to smile, but it was a battle she was losing.

"I-I know I probably don't deserve you," he said uncertainly. "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me forever. The past few months have been a dream. You're such an amazing person and I _need _you in my life. I know I really screwed up but," he looked down, "maybe…maybe we could still be friends?"

He shifted from foot to foot a bit uncomfortably, looking up at her from under his wispy bangs awaiting some sort of reaction.

"I don't think I can, Chad."

His face fell momentarily until she grinned, throwing her arms around him. He smiled in relief as he held her back, relishing in the first hug they'd shared together in days. Sonny looked up at him. "Because friends wouldn't do this," she said before planting a soft kiss on his lips.

**X x**

**A/N: I had a lot of anxiety writing this chapter. Nothing seemed good enough. I just hope the ending did the story justice. I rewrote it three times.**

**I'm doing one more chappie after this, an epilogue of sorts.**


	12. An Epilogue of Sorts

**I WANT EVERYTHING**

"**An Epilogue of Sorts"**

The big California moon shone down on the beach. The couple who sat on a large blanket basking in the moonlight cuddled in each other's arms as they watched the waves crash into the shore. The feeling of the moist air coming from the ocean created a nice cool breeze against their skin on that warm summer night.

Sonny was sitting in Chad's lap; his arms were wrapped around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder. Soft music played from the radio at their side and a picnic basket filled with the finest foods awaited them. It was the first night of many he would spend with her. When he had realized it was the start of summer and that he was without his usual summer projects (having cleared his entire schedule to make time for shooting the movie he was no longer in), he instantly found himself embarking on a new endeavor: Precious time spent with Sonny Munroe.

"This is perfect," she told him.

He smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "To think I almost missed out on it all…"

Chad was so utterly and completely in love with Sonny that it almost scared him. He had never felt this way about anyone, and realizing that he had come so close to losing her forever sent shivers down his spine.

Sonny turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck as their lips connected in a lingering kiss. When they finally pulled away from one another, he brought his hand up to brush the stray strands of hair from her face.

Sonny's smile soon faded as she looked at him with uncertainty. "Chad…there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," she told him.

A bit alarmed by her statement, his brows drew together. "What is it, Sonny?"

She settled back, moving away from him a bit. "I know you really wanted that movie. I just…it doesn't feel right that you gave it up for me… I feel like I'm holding you back," she admitted, looking at him sadly with her big brown eyes.

Chad took a deep breathe before moving closer to her and kissing her forehead. "I told you that I didn't care about the movie."

"I know, but-"

"Sonny, I love you so much," he assured her. "I love that you're always looking out for me…but you have to understand that there was no way I could've accepted that role. Not after everything that's happened. _Never _think that you were holding me back from anything. You've done so much for me."

She looked down, a small blush creeping on her cheeks.

He brought his finger under her chin, tilting it slightly so that her eyes met his. "Besides, who's spending her entire summer helping her boyfriend prepare for his SAT's?"

"Among other things," she said with a giggle.

"Everything good that's happening right now is because of you, Sonny. Never in a million years did I think I'd be going to college. You've encouraged me to do things I never thought I was capable of doing. God Sonny, you just make me a _better _person."

She smiled and closed her eyes before moving in for another kiss, but the sound of Chad's name over the radio brought them out of their lip lock.

"_And this in entertainment news: Zac Efron has been chosen to fill the lead role in the new Nicholas Sparks novel-based-movie that Chad Dylan Cooper turned down only days ago…"_

Chad quickly reached to turn off the radio as Sonny smirked at him. Zac Efron definitely had the potential to be a mood-killer.

Sonny giggled softly. "Still sure you're not having any regrets?"

"Never," he answered quickly enough that Sonny was certain he was being sincere. "Efron can have his silly movie. I get an entire summer with the my beautiful lady."

He enveloped her in his arms, pulling her closely to him as they lie back onto the blanket together. Sonny rested her head on his shoulder as they wrapped their arms around one another, watching the twinkling stars above and listening to the sound of the waves crashing loudly down onto the beach. Chad turned his head and snuggled his face in her hair, his lips brushing over her earlobe before whispering, "And I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world."

**THE END**

**A/N: A BIG ****Thank You ****to all my readers who have reviewed, faved, and followed me or my fics. I honestly would not have done it without you. Your reviews have been so kind and encouraging. I'm very proud of myself for actually finishing this. It's been years since I've actually completed a multi-chapter fic.**


End file.
